A V O Y A G E O F D I S C O V E R Y
•79«. who had greatly profited by his kind folicitude for their comfort and-
December. . _
«_ - t— m happmeis.
Few objeHs or circumftances occurred in the courfe of this excurfion
worthy of notice. The furrounding country confifted chiefly of a fandy
heath, overgrown with a naturally impaffable, thicket of fhrubs about
four or five feet high, which afforded an excellent cover for deer,
foxes, hares, rabbits, quails, &c. fome of which we faw in palling along
the roads cut through it.
■ The late inconvenience experienced by fbme o f my vifitors, in con-
fequence o fth e fh ip ’s motion, became .a fubje&.of our converfation ;
and as this was impoflible to be provided againft, I folicited the honor-
o f my Spanilh friends company at our encampment on ftiore. This
Monday io. accordingly took place the following day, when I was gratified with
the pretence o f moil of the ladies, as well: as the gentlemen, at dinner.
A difplay of fire works was exhibited in the evening. | Thefe, ftfll remaining
in excellent prefervation, afforded a very high degree o f fiitisfac-
tion, not only to our vifitors, but their dependants of every defcription;
the whole of whom in the neighbourhood, with a great number of Indians,
were affembled on this occafion, and moft probably partook o f an
entertainment to which moft of them were before intire' ftrangers. The
evening was concluded by a dance and fupper, which was not ended until
a late hour.
The Dtedalus having delivered fuch provifions and ftores as could
Wednef. is. be taken- on board the Difcoyery, and Chatham, on wednefday her hold
was reftowed, and our carpenters were employed in fitting up commodious
Halls on board o f her, for the reception of live cattle; Senr- Quadra
having, with his accuftomed politenefs and liberality, offered me any
number of thofe animals, with fuch other produaions of the country as
I might judge to be neceflary, for the fervice o f His Majefty’s-infant
colony in New. South Wales. Twelve cows, with fix bulls, and the
like number of ewes and rams, were received on board the Dsedalus on
the 24th; but the flap was detained until a fufficient quantity o f provender
for their maintenance could be procured. The country, at this fea-
fon affording but a fcanty fupply, furnilhed employment for almoft all
opr
our people in cutting it wherever it could be found. Water alfo was „ >79“-
f . . . . December«
not very eafily obtained, fince it could only be had in fmall quantities at __v__1.
a time, from a number o f fhallow wells dug by ourfelves. It was however
extremely good, and might have been procured in any quantity with
little labour, by finking wells of a proper conftruftion to a moderate
depth; notwithftanding this, the Spaniards are content to take on board,
for, their common ufe at fea, water of a very inferior quality, becaufe it
is procured without any trouble. That which is drunk at the table of
the officers is however very fine water, and is brought in carts from the
river Carmelo. But to return ; thefe feveral employments prevented the
failing o f the Daedalus until the 29th, when fhe departed with the cattle Saturday 29.
in very high condition.
On this occafion Lieutenant James Hanfon received from me his orders
to proceed to New South Wales; to call at Hergeft’siflands, in
his way thither, for a fupply o f water and food for the cattle, and any
refrelhments for the crew that could be procured: pafling thence to
the north of all the low iflands, to proceed to Otaheite; from Otaheite
to New Zealand; and from thence to port Jackfon; where I was particularly
anxious the Da:dalus Ihould arrive as foon as poffible,. becaufe
the cattle, fheep, &c. in the event of their being preferved, could not
fail to be a very valuable acquifition to that country. Befide thefe, it
was by no means improbable that Mr. Hanfon might be enabled to procure
a eonfiderable number of hogs and fowls, at the feveral iflands he
might touch at: thefe I alfo conceived would be highly acceptable at
port Jackfon, and he had my dire&ions to ufe his difcretion in thus
appropriating fuch articles of traffic eonfigned to me, as yet remained
on board the Daedalus.
His vilit to Otaheite had another objeft befide that o f procuring refreffi-
ments, which was, to receive onboard twenty-one Englilh feamen who had
been call away in the fltip Matilda, of London, on the 25 th o f february,
1792, on a ledge of rocks, not within fight o f any land, and. faid to-
be fituated in latitude 220 fouth, and longitude i38“ go'weft. After
this unfortunate accident the crew returned in their boats to Otaheite;
from whence, fix days before, they had departed in the fhip. From-
Otaheite,