oh fllore; from whence the boats returned with fome water; and we
1---- .---- i began faking o f pork.
The weather continued to be very fukry; the thermometer generally
Banding between 83 and 86, my royal guells, with a crowd of
attendants, kill remained on board, and their company, became no Iefs
pleafant than inconvenient. I was given to underftand they intended to
make the fhip their place- of refidence, until they fhould return to Morea.
This arrangement was very incommodious, and to which it was equally
impoflible to ob jeft; I was therefore under the necefllty of reforting to
fome little addrefs, which fortunately was attended with the defired fuc-
cefs. I took an opportunity o f acquainting Pomurrey that my attendance
at the obfervatory would now be conftantly required, which would
oblige me to dine on fhore ; but that I had ordered a dinner on board,
and plenty of brandy, for him and his friends. A confutation Ihortly
took place, and as I was about to leave the fhip, he faid,„if I would call
for him after dinner, the whole party would difembark, deliring at the
fame time, that he might be faluted on his landing, from the encampment;
which in the evening was done accordingly.. Our royal friends
took Up their abode in a wretched houfe brought for- the exprefs purpofe
to point Venus, where our tents on former vifits had been pitched, Po-
mur'rey was not in a condition to favor us with his prefence that evening;
Wednef. 4. but, in the morning, we had the honor o f his;. company at the encampment.
He regarded with inquilitive attention, and great admiration, the
feveral works in which our people were engaged. A large piece of timber
which was fawing into plank, greatly attrafied his notice, and drew
me into a fcrape ; he faid it was impoflible we could be in immediate
want of fo great a quantity, and did not doubt that ere long we fhould
be in a country where we could again be fupplied, having underftood
that this flick had been cut at New Zealand. Thefe confiderations led
him to requeft, that I would order a cheft of the -plank to be made for
him, fix feet long, four feet broad, and three feet deep. I excnfed my-
felf, by replying that I could not with any Conveniency part with fo much
plank, nor could the carpenters be well fpared from the bufinefs.on which
they were employed; but that, before we failed, I would endeavour to
have a fmall cheft made for him. . Pomurrey, however, was of; opinion,
that
that a large cheft would take little more time to finifh.than a fmall one, ’ 792-
and offered to find plank for the top and bottom, if I would fupply the ■ '
fides and end, and allow a carpenter to make it. In fhort, he was fo
prefling and earneft, that much againft my inclination, having great demands
for the plank, and conftant employ for the artificers, I was under
the necefllty of complying with his wifhes.
Mahow, though extremely feeble, paid us a vifit on fhore; being unable
to walk, he was carried about in a kind of litter. Many other
chiefs were now conftantly attendant upon us with a numerous party of
the natives, who all conduced thenifel'ves with the ftri&eft propriety, and
feemfed highly delighted with thé new' mode o f fpending their time, in ob-
ferving and animadverting: on our different employments.
The Wind, finee our arrival, had been eafterwardly, blowing a moderate
breeze; it had now veered to the north with fqualls and fhowers of
rain, attended by a very heavy rolling fwell in the bay. The Difcovery’s
yawl wanting repair was hauled up for that purpofe. In the evening, we"
had much rain, with frequent gufts of wind; which fo much increafed-
the furf, that all communication with the fhore muft have ceafed, had not
the good offices of our kind friends on the ifland, enabled us to keep up
a correfpondence. They fuccefsfully contended with the boifterous elements,
by fwimming to and from the fhip ; and, to manifeft their attachment,
fupplied us by this means with bread-fruit, cocoa-nuts, and other
refrefhments.
. On thürfday morning, the .N.w. wind, which is the moft boifterous. Thurr<kys.
and unpleafant known in this country, brought .with it a fea which broke-
with fuch great violence on the fhore, as to infulate the fpot on which
Our royal friends had taken up their abode. The wind could hot be‘
confidered as a ftrong ga le; yét fo violent was the fea that accompanied
it, that it broke with unintermitted force in every part of the
bay, excepting where the veflels rode; and, even there, we did not in-
tirely efcape its fury; two feas broke on board the Difcovery, although-
in eight fathoms water, which nearly- filled the waift. Towards eight
o’clock, the clouds in the n .w . bearing a very threatening appearance,
the. fheet anchor'; was dropped underfoot. This difagreeable weather
P 2 continued