1774;
Augult.
Thurfday 11.
plofion, which happened every three or four minutes ; and,
at one time, great Hones were leen high in the air. Befides
the neceffary work of wooding and watering, we {truck the
main-top-maft to fix new treftle-trees and back-ftays. Mr-
Forfter and his party went up the hill on the weft fide
of the harbour, where he found three places from whence
fmoke of a fulphureous fmell iffued, through cracks or
M m in the earth. The ground about thefe was exceedingly
hot, and parched or burnt, and they feemed to keep
pace with the volcano ; for, at every explofion of the latter,
the quantity of fmoke or fleam in thefe was greatly in--
created, and forced out fo as to rife in fma.il columns, which
we flaw from the lhip, and had taken for common fires made
by the natives. At the foot o f this hill are the hot fprings
before mentioned.
■ In the afternoon, Mr. Forfter having begun his botanical
refearches on the other fide of the harbour, fell in with our
friend Paowang’ s houfe, where he faw moft of the at tides I
had given him, hanging on the adjoining trees and buflies,
as if they were not worthy of being under his roof.
Friday «. On the 12th, fome of the officers accompanied Mr. Forfter
to the hot places he-bad been at the preceding day. A thermometer
placed in a little hole made in one of them, rofe
from 8o, at which it flood in the open air, to 170. Several
other parts of the hill emitted fmoke or fteam all the day,
and the volcano was unufually furious, infomuch that the
air was loaded with its allies. The rain which fell at this
time, was a compound of water, fand, and earth; fo that it
properly might be called ftiowers of mire.. Whichever
way the wind was, we were plagued with the allies ; unlefs
it blew very ftrong indeed from the oppofite diredion.
Not-.
Notwithftanding the natives feemed well enough fatisfied
with the few expeditions we had made in the neighbourhood,
they were unwilling we fhould extend them farther. As
à proof of this, dome undertook to guide the gentlemen
when they Were in the country, to a place where they might
fee the mouth of the volcano. They very readily embraced
the offer ; and were conducted down to the harbour, before
they perceived the cheat.
Friday zz.
The 13th, wind at N. E., gloomy weather. The only thing Saturday 13,
worthy of note this day, was, that Paowang beingat dinner with
us on board, I took the opportunity to ffiew him feveral parts
of the Ihip, and various articles, in hopes of finding out fome-
thing which they might value, and be induced to take from
us in exchange for refrefliments ; for what we got of this
kind was trifling. But he looked on- every thing that was
fhewn him with the utmoft indifference ; nor did he take
notice of any one thing except a wooden fand-box, which he
feemed to admire, and turned two or three times over in his.
hand.
Next morning, after breakfaft, a party of us fet out for the Sunday ,+
country, to try if we could not get a nearer and better view Of
the Volcano. We went by the way of one of thofe hot
fmoking places before mentioned, and dug a hole in the
hotteft part, into which a thermometer of Fahrenheit’s con-
ftruftion was put; and the mercury prefently rofe to ioo°_
It remained in the hole two minutes and a half without either
riling or falling. The earth about this place was a kind of
white clay, had a fulphureous fmell, and was.foft and wet
the furface only excepted, over which was fpread a thin dry
cruft, that had upon it feme fulphur, and a vitriolic fubftance,
tailing