1774-
Ju l y , dian fucking-fifli (echeneis naucratesj near two feet long > and
a third made prize of two large red fifties of the fea-bream
kind (probably the fparus erythrinus, Linn.) one of which he
kept for his meffmates, and the other he prefented to the
lieutenants. The captain received a fhare of the (hark, on
which we feafted the next day, when the whole (hip s company
regaled themfelves with a frefti meal. Sharks do not
afford a very palatable food, but it was at all times preferable
to fait provifions, and neceflity taught us to relifh
it. This fevere teacher reconciles the Greenlander to whale-
blubber, and the Hottentot to filthy inteftines ; and time
makes thefe indelicate viands acceptable and delicious to
their tafte. This (hark, when cut open, was found to have
the bone-point of a poifoned arrow (licking in his head,
having been (hot quite through the fkull. The wound was
healed fo perfectly, that not the fmalleft veftige of it appeared
on the outfide. A piece of the wood (till remained
(ticking to the bony point, as well as a few fibres with
which it had been tied on j but both the wood and the
fibres were fo rotten, as to crumble into dud at the touch.
Fifties therefore are not affetfted by thefe arrows, which we
fuppofed to be poifoned.
The next morning we weighed the anchor and fet fail,
having fcarcely had time fufficient to (ketch a plan of the
harbour, which was honoured with the title of Port Sandwich.
Its fituation, deduced from aftronomical obfervations,
tions, is in i6 ° 28' fouth lat. and r6j ° 56' eaft long. We
were becalmed before we could clear the reefs, and obliged
to fend our boats ahead to tow us out, which they performed
very (lowly and with great difficulty. In the mean time
the natives came to us with all their fourteen canoes, and
fold us great numbers of arrows of all kinds and fome
clubs. They made feveral trips between the (hip and the
fhore, as they had done the preceding day, and feemed to
be very eager to part with their arms for Taheitee cloth.
We repeated our demand for provifions; but they would not
liften to it, and only parted with what they could more
eafily fpare or replace. Towards noon we got clear of the
harbour, and left Mallicqllo with the fea-breeze, which
then frefliened, (landing over to Ambrrym, or the Ifland of
Volcanoes. Whether we might have obtained fome re-
frefliments by (laying a few days longer and improving
our acquaintance with the natives,, is very uncertain ; for
fince they fet no value on our iron-ware, we could offer no
-equivalent for their provifions.
The ifland of Mallicollo is about twenty leagues long
from north to fouth, and the port which we had left lies
in its fouth-eaft .extremity. Its inland mountains are very
high, clad with forefts, and without doubt contain many
fine fprings, though we could not trace them between the
trees. The foil, as far as we were able to examine it, is a
rich and fertile mould, like that which covers the plains of
V ol. II. G g the
1774- Ju l y -