i f l l i
m Ilf f'li'r
June.
Tueliiay 3.
The weather was again cloudy on tuefday, with fome light rain. In
the evening I had the mortification to underftand, that juft as the carpenters
employed on the bowfprit were about leaving off work, they
had found it rotten nearly in the middle, fo that their time and labour
had been applied to no .effeH. There was, however, another tree in
the neighbourhood likely to anfwer our purpofe, though it was confide-
rably larger than was neceffary, and confequently would require more
labour and time than was altogether convenient; as two of our belt carpenters
were now much indifpofed, owing, I believed, to their having
been too much expofed during the late inclement weather, whilft in the
execution of their duty, i
Wednet 4. q'hg next day, being the anniverfary of His Majefty’s nativity, no
work was done, excepting that of hauling the feine, in the hope of procuring
fome filh for the people’s dinner. In this we were again difap-
pointed; as good a dinner was however ferved as the Ihip’s provifions
afforded, and a double allowance of grog, with which the day was
cheerfully celebrated. '
Thursday 5. Early in the morning of the 5th we were again bufily employed, and
in the forenoon, for the firft time fince our arrival here, we were vifited
by fome ftrangers who landed from their canoes, at the brewing tent;
and as they did not feem to Ihew any difpofition for vifiting the. veffels,
I paid my compliments to them on Ihore, and found that their party
eonfifted of eight Indians and a Ruffian. I took fome pains to invite
the latter on board, and requefted he would in the mean time fend the
Indians to procure us fome filh, for which they ffiould be handfomely
rewarded. My invitation he pofitively declined, and faid, by way of
excufing himfelf, that he.would go and filh for us; on this the. canoes
were launched, and the whole party fat off.
The wind was now light, in the fouth-weft quarter, but the weather
ftill continued to be unfettled, with fome fhowers of rain. In the evening
two of the canoes, with four of the Indian vifitors, returned, but
the Ruffian was not of the party, nor did thefe bring any filh or other
article for fale. I made them fome prefents that feemed to give them
much pleafure, and I then endeavoured to make them underftand, that I
2 . had
had in abundance of fuch things, which I would gladly exchange with 'Wthem
for filh, wild fowl, &c. As it had plainly appeared by the behaviour s— -,--- 1
of the Ruffian, that he was under confiderable apprehenfion for his per-
fonal fafety in the idea of vifiting the fhip, I fent him, by thefe Indians,
fome bread, beef, pork, and rum, in hopes that fuch friendly teftimonies
would diffipate his fears, and give him fuch confidence in our pacific difpofition
as to encourage him to pay us another vifit.
The atmofphere prefented a ferene and pleafant afpeft, with every Friday 6.
appearance on friday morning of fettled fummer weather. This enabled
us to procure fome good lunar diftances, and to add other aftronomical
obfervations to thofe we had already made for afcertaining the raté of
the chronometers. I did not now much regret that a proper place had
not been found on Ihore for the reception of the obfervatory, as the inclemency
of the weather hitherto would have rendered it an ufelefs objeft
of our attention, and the inftruménts might have received fome damage
had they been landed.
The four Indians again returned, and brought with them two wild
geefe and two divers as a prefent from the Ruffian, who, if we under-
ftood the meffengers correftly, was ftill afraid to venture amongft us ;
though he was evidently, defirous of being benefited by fuch things as
we had to give away ; for the Indians appeared to have been inftrufled
by him to alk for feveral articles, that we knew would be highly acceptable
to him. Thefe accordingly were intrufted to their charge, together
with a repetition of the ftrongeft affurances of our friendlhip, and
of our déliré, of feeing him on board. With this the Ruffian complied
the next day, and we were informed by him, that the Indians had faith-. Saturday 7.
fully difcharged their commiffion. Two other Ruffians had joined, his
party, and the three paid us an early vifit ; but . came empty handed,
which I did not altogether expeft, as thofe who had vifited us off point
Bede fcrupuloufly performed their promife, by bringing us an ample
fupply of filh. He who had been fo unwilling to vifit the fhip we
now found was named Ammus Niconnervitch Ballufian. This perfon
appeared to have more acquaintance with geography and fea charts
than the reft of his companions. He feemed alfo in other refpefts to
Vo l. III. Y be