Friday, 7th. Fresh Gales and Cloudy. At 1/2 past 2 p.m. got up with the East end of the Land seen yesterday at Noon, and which proved to be an assemblage of Islands join'd together by Reef, and extending themselves North-West by North and South-East by South in 8 or 9 Leagues and of various breadths; but there appeared to be a total Seperation in the middle by a Channell of half a Mile broad, and on this account they are called the two Groups.* (* Marokau and Ravahare. Two atolls close together.) The South Eastermost of them lies in the Latitude of 18 degrees 12 minutes and Longitude of 142 degrees 42 minutes West from Greenwich, and West 1/2 North distant 25 Leagues from the West end of Bow Island. We ranged along the South-West side of this Island, and hauled into a Bay which lies to the North-West of the Southermost point of them, and where there appeared to be Anchorage and the Sea was smooth and not much Surf on the Shore; but we found no ground with 100 fathoms 3/4 of a Mile from the Shore, and nearer we did not go. Here several of the Inhabitants assembled together with their Canoes, with a design, as we thought, to come off to us, as they hauld one of them over the reef seemingly for that purpose; but after waiting near 1/2 an hour, and they not attempting to come, we bore away and made Sail, and presentley the Canoe put off after us; but, as we did not stop, they soon went back again. They were in all respects like those we had seen on Lagoon Island, and Armed with Clubs and long Pikes like them. At
1/2 past 6 a.m. Saw a small Island to the Northward, hauled our wind for it, and soon got close in with it. It is about 3 or 4 Miles
in Circuit, and very low, with a Pond in the Middle. There is some wood upon it, but no inhabitants but Birds, and for this reason is called Bird Island.* (* Reitoru.) It lies in the latitude 17 degrees 48 minutes and longitude 143 degrees 35 minutes West, and West 1/2
North 10 Leagues from the West end of the two Groups. The birds we saw were Men-of-War Birds and several other sorts. Wind
East; course North 66 degrees West; distance 66 miles; latitude 17 degrees 48 minutes South, longitude 143 degrees 31 minutes West.
Saturday, 8th. Fresh Trade and pleasant weather, but about noon had a few flying showers of rain. Variation 6 degrees 32 minutes East. Wind East by South and East; course North 87 degrees West; distance 100 miles; latitude 17 degrees 43 minutes South, longitude 145 degrees 16 minutes West.
Sunday, 9th. A steady fresh gale and pleasant weather. At 2 p.m. saw Land to the Northward, hauld up for it, and found it to be a double range of low woody islands joined together by reefs, by which means they make one Island in form of an Ellipsis or Oval,
in the Middle of which is a Salt water lake. The small Islands and reefs circumscribes or bounds this lake like a Chain; it is therefore called Chain Island.* (* Anaa.) It is in length, North-West and South-East, about 5 Leagues, and in breadth about 5 Miles. The mid-dle of it lies in the Latitude of 17 degrees 23 minutes South, and Longitude 145 degrees 54 minutes West, and West by North 45
Leagues from Bird Island. Variation per Several Azimuths 4 degrees 54 minutes East. Wind East by North to North by East; course
West, Northerly; distance 81 miles; latitude 17 degrees 42 minutes South, longitude 146 degrees 40 minutes West.
Monday, 10th. P.M. moderate breezes and cloudy; in the Night, dark, cloudy, unsettled weather, with very much Thunder, Lightning, and rain. A.M. little wind and fair. P.M. variation per Several Azimuths 5 degrees 41 minutes East. At 8 a.m. saw Osnaburg Island* (* Maitea, the easternmost of the Society Islands, which are all high, and a great contrast to the low coral atolls of the Paumotus.) (so called by Captain Wallis, the first discoverer) bearing North-West by West, distance 4 or 5 Leagues. It is a high round Island, and appears to be not above a League in Circuit, and when it bears as above it looks like a high Crown'd Hatt, but when it bears North the Top is more like the roof of a House. It lies in the Latitude of 17 degrees 48 minutes South and Longitude 148 degrees 10 minutes West, and West by South, 44 Leagues, from Chain Island. Wind North-North-West, variable, North-West by North; course South 13 degrees West; distance 67 miles; latitude 18 degrees 00 minutes South, longitude 147 degrees 47 minutes West; at noon, Osnaburg Island North by West 1/2 West, 5 leagues.
[Arrive at Tahiti.]
Tuesday, 11th. First part, little wind and cloudy; the remainder, little wind and very Variable; unsettled weather, with some rain. P.M. took several Observations of the sun and moon, which gave the Longitude of the ship to be 148 degrees 18 minutes West, and differs but little from that given by the Log. At 6 a.m. saw King George's Island* (* So named by Captain Wallis. The native name was ascertained by Cook, who spelt it Otaheite. Now known as Tahiti. It is the chief island of the Society Group, and was annexed by the French in 1844.) Extending from West by South 1/2 South to West by North 1/2 North. It appeared very high and Mountain-
ous. Wind variable; course North 66 degrees West; distance 54 miles; latitude 17 degrees 38 minutes South, longitude 148 degrees 39 minutes West; Osnaburg Island East 1/2 South, 13 leagues.
55
Wednesday, 12th. Variable, light Airs all these 24 Hours, and Hot sultry weather. At 5 p.m. King George's Island extending from North-West by West to South-West, distance 6 or 7 Leagues; and at 6 a.m. it bore from South-South-West to West by North, being little wind with Calms. Several of the Natives came off to us in their Canoes, but more to look at us than anything else. We could not prevail with any of them to come on board, and some would not come near the ship. Wind variable; course West; distance 18 miles; latitude 17 degrees 38 minutes South, longitude 148 degrees 58 minutes West; at noon, King George's Island, from South to West by North, 5 leagues.
Thursday, 13th. The first part Cloudy and Squally, with Showers of rain; remainder, genteel breezes and clear weather. At 4 p.m. the North-East point of Royal Bay West 1/2 North; run under an easy sail all night, and had soundings from 22 to 12 fathoms 2 or 3 Miles from the Shore. At 5 a.m. made sail for the bay, and at 7 anchored in 13 fathoms.* (* Matavai Bay.) At this time we had but very few men upon the sick list, and these had but slite complaints. The Ship's company had in general been very healthy, ow-ing in a great measure to the Sour kroutt, Portable Soup and Malt; the two first were served to the People, the one on Beef Days and the other on Banyan Days. Wort was made of the Malt, and at the discretion of the Surgeon given to every man that had the least simptoms of Scurvy upon him. By this means, and the Care and Vigilance of Mr. Monkhouse, the Surgeon, this disease was
prevented from getting a footing in the Ship. The Sour Kroutt, the Men at first would not eat it, until I put it in practice--a method
I never once Knew to fail with seamen--and this was to have some of it dressed every day for the Cabin Table, and permitted all the
Officers, without exception, to make use of it, and left it to the Option of the men either to take as much as they pleased or none at all; but this practice was not continued above a Week before I found it necessary to put every one on board to an allowance; for such are the Tempers and disposition of Seamen in general that whatever you give them out of the common way--altho' it be ever
so much for their good--it will not go down, and you will hear nothing but murmurings against the Man that first invented it; but the moment they see their superiors set a value upon it, it becomes the finest stuff in the world and the inventor an honest fellow. Wind easterly.
CHAPTER 3. TAHITI.
REMARKABLE OCCURRENCES, ETC., AT GEORGE'S ISLAND. [At Tahiti.]
NOTE. The way of reckoning the day in Sea Journals is from Noon to Noon, but as the most material transaction at this Island must hapen in the Day time, this method will be attended with ill conveniences in inserting the transactions of each day; for this reason I shall during our stay at this Island, but no longer, reckon the day according to the Civil account that is to begin and end at Midnight.
We had no sooner come to an Anchor in Royal Bay, as before-mentioned, than a great number of the Natives in their Canoes came off to the Ship and brought with them Cocoa Nuts, etc.; these they seem'd to set a great value upon. Amongst those that came off to the Ship was an elderly man whose Name was Owhaa, him the Gentlemen that had been here before in the Dolphin* (* Lieuten-
ant Gore and Mr. Molineux, the Master.) knew and had often spoke of as one that had been of Service to them. This man (together with some others)