DoS.»'. P°mur'rey. Matuaro, who we were informed was, under Otoo, fovereign
o f Huaheine, and who was now here on an Ercoei party,* undertook to
Voyages. be their pilot. As foon as the boat put off, the crowd about the fhip
becoming acquainted with her errand the news was fpeedily carried
with acclamations to the fhore, and there received with great demon*
fixations of gladnefs.
During the night, the fwell in the bay had greatly increafed, and con*
ceiving we were nearer the Dolphin bank than was imagined on our ar*
rival, we warped nearer in fhore, and moored in 13 fathoms black fand,
and muddy bottom : One-Tree hill bearing by compafs s. 26 w .; and
point Venus n . 1 4 e . The furf breaking with great violence, had hitherto
prevented our landing the encampment; but as I had been ac-
Ta„792’ cuftomed to fee this Place perfe&ly finooth, I entertained no doubt that
the bay would in a day or two refume its ufual tranquillity.
Sunday 1. Sunday morning uffiered in the new year. The furf had in fome mea*
fure fubfided, though it Hill broke with great violence on the fhore; which
induced me to make new-year’s day a holiday. Every one had as much
frefh pork, and plum-pudding as he could make ufe of; and left in the
voluptuous gratifications of Otaheite, we might forget our friends in old
England, all hands were ferved a double allowance of grog to drink
the healths o f their fweethearts and friends at home. It is fomewhat
lingular that the gunner of the Difeovery was the only married man of
the whole party.
Monday 2. The weather becoming pleafant on monday morning, the tents, ob*
fervatory, &c. were fent on fhore. Thefe were conftantly protected by
a guard o f marines, and our field pieces ; which were very properly
conftrufied for our occafions, and anfwered every expected purpofe
Mr. Puget was charged with the Encampment, and Mr. Whidbey was
particularly to attend the pbfervatory. My attention and refidence was
divided between the fhip, and the fhore. On pitching our tents, a great
concourfe of the natives in the moft friendly and orderly manner attended.
Their numbers, in fome meafure, proved inconvenient, by interrupting
our labours; but, on a line being drawn on the ground, denoting
the fpace we intended to occupy, not one attempted to trefpafs ; and
thofe
thofe who were permitted to help in the debarkation o f our flores, con- *79!-
duâed themfelves'with the utmoft decorum, and feemed amply repaid
with a few beads for their affiftance.
Towards noon Mr. Mudge returned with-my old friend Pomurrey, who
was faluted, previoufly to his coming on board, with four guns from
each veffel, which gratified him extremely. With him came Matooaru
Mahow, commonly called Mahow ; the reigning prince, under Otoo, of
Morea. There was however little probability of his long enjoying this
honorable ftation, as he appeared to be in the laft ftage o f a deep and
rapid decline ; his perfon was reduced to a mere fkeleton, which he was
not able to raife without great affiftance. He was hoifted on board in
a chair, and fupported by fix people down to the cabin, where, unable
to fit up, or to ftand, a bed was prepared for him on the lockers. The
reafons that could induce a man in his deplorable condition to undertake
fuch a vifit, muft, without doubt, be not Iefs curious than extraordinary
!
Pomurrey had perfeft recolle&ion of me ; and every expreffion, and
aftion, indicated the fincerity of the happinefs he profeffed, on our arrival.
He frequently obferved, I had grown very much, and looked very
old fince laft we had parted. In the afternoon, his two wives and young-
eft lifter arrived ; the former were the fillers, and the latter the wife of
Mahow. His two brothers alfo accompanied the ladies, with many chiefs
and attendants, each prefenting me on their coming on board with
cloth, hogs, fowls and vegetables, in fuch abundance, that We had now
more than we could well difpenfe with. This profufion, however, and
the manner in which it was beftowed, was very grateful to our feelings,
as it plainly evinced the kind-hearted difpofition of the inhabitants, and
that we could not experience any want were our flay to be protracted
far beyond the period o f my prefept intention. It now became n&cef-
fery that a handfome return fhould be made to the whole group, agreeably
to the ränk and fituation of each individual. In felefting the prefents
I was fortunate enough at once to fucceed, far beyond their moft fan-
guine expeftations.
As Pomurrey and Mahow, with their wives, were to fleep on board,
their