A V O Y A G E O F D I S C O V E R Y
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Fcbrauy. TJlis afforded me an opportunity o f conferring on Tamaahmaah a fa-
----- vor that he valued far beyond every other obligation in my power to
bellow, by permitting our carpenters to begin the velfel; from whofe
example, and the aflillance of thefe three engineers, he was in hopes that
his people would hereafter be able to build boats and fmall veflels for
themfelves.
An ambition fo truly laudable, in one to whofe hofpitality and friend-
Ihip we had been fo highly indebted, and whofe good offices were daily
adminiftering in fome way or other to our comfort, it was a grateful talk
to cherilh and promote; and as our carpenters had finilhed the re-equip-
faturday i. ment o f the veflels, on the 1 ft of february they laid down the keel, and
began to prepare the frame work of His Owhyhean Majefty’s firft man
o f war. The length of its keel was thirty-fix feet, the extreme breadth
of the velfel nine feet and a quarter, and the depth of her hold about five
feet; her name was to be The Britannia, and was intended as a proteflion
to the royal perfon of Tamaahmaah; and I believe few circumftances in.
his life ever afforded him more folid fatisfaftion.
It was not very likely that our flay would be fo protra&ed, as to allow
our artificers to finilh the work: -tbey had begun, nor did the king
feem to expefl I Ihould defer my departure hence for that purpofe; but
confided in the affertion of Boid, that, with the aflillance we Ihould afford
him, he would be able to complete the veflel.
In the evening a very ftri& taboo commenced ; it was called. The taboo
o f the Hahcoo, and appertains to the taking of two- particular kinds of
filh; one o f which, amongft thefe illanders, bears.that name; thefe are
not lawful to be taken at the lame time, for during thole months that
the one is permitted to be caught the other is. prohibited* They are
very pun&ual in the oblervance o f this anniverfary, which is,, exclu-
fively of their days, months, and year, an additional means of dividing
their time, or, perhaps, properly fpeaking, their feafons* The continuance
of this interdiftion ought to have extended, to ten-days ; but as
it is the prerogative of the king to ffiorten its duration in any one
particular diftrifl, he direfled on our account that in the diftrifit of
Akona
Akona it ffiouid ceafe with the men on the morning of the 4th, and with
the women on the day following. ‘ '
Moll of our efiential bufinefs was nearly brought to a conclufion by
the & V and our remaining here for'the accomplifhment of what yet re- ThurfdwS.
mained to be done, was no longer an objeft of abfolute neceflity; yet
I was induced to prolong our Hay in this comfortable fituation for two
reafons ; firft, becaufe the plan of operations I intended to purfue, in the
profecution of the remaining part of our furvey on the coaft of North-
Well America, did not require our repairing immediately to the northward
; and fecondly, becaufe our former experience amongft the other
illands had proved, that there was no profpeH of obtaining that abundant
fupply of refrelhments which Owhyhee afforded, even at the expence of
arms and ammunition; articles that humanity and policy had uniformly
di&ated me to with-hold, not only from thefe illanders, but from every
tribe of Indians with whom we had any concern.
The completion of our furvey of thefe illands required Hill the examination
of the north Sides of Mowee, Woahoo, and Attowai; and reserving
fufficient time for that purpofe, I determined to fpend here the
reft I had to fpare, before we Ihould proceed to the American coaft.
This afforded an opportunity to Mr. Menzies and Mr. Baker, accompanied
by fome others of the gentlemen,, to make another excurfion into
the country for the purpofe of afcending Mowna Roa, which now
appeared to be a talk that was likely to be accomplilhed ; as we had under-
llood from the natives, that the attempt would be lefs difficult from the
fouth point of the illand than from any other direftion. For this purpofe
the party, furnilhed by Tamaahmaah with a large double canoe,
and a fufficient number of people, under the orders of a Heady careful
chief, fat out, in the confidence of receiving every aflillance and attention
that could be neceffary to render the expedition interefting and
agreeable.
The Daedalus being, in all refpefts, ready to depart for port Jackfon,
Lieutenant Hanfon on the 8th received his orders from me for that purpofe,
together with a copy of our furvey of the coaft of New Albion,
D 2 fouthward