1776.
February.
March.
Saturday 9.
May.
Monday 6.
Thurfday 30.'
June.
Saturday 8.
purchafed into the fervice, and the command of her given
to Captain Clerke, who had been my fécond Lieutenant on
board the Refolution, in mÿ fécond voyage round the world,
from which we had lately returned.
Thefe two ihips were,: at this time, in the dock at Deptford,
under the hands of thgih ip wrights; being ordered to
be equipped to make farther difcoveries in the Pacific Ocean,
under my direction.
On the gth of March, the Refolution was hauled out of
dock into the River; where we completed her rigging, and
took on board the itores and provifions requifite for a voyage
of fuch duration. Both ihips, indeed, were fupplied with
as much of every neceflary article as we could conveniently
flow, and with the beft of every kind that could be procured.
And, befides this, every thing that had been found,
by the experience acquired during our former extenfive
voyages, to be of any utility in preferving the health of
feamen, was fupplied in abundance.
It was our intention to have failed to Long Reach on the
&th of May, when a pilot came on board to carry us thither-
but it was the 29th before the wind would permit us to
move; and the 30th before we arrived at that ftation, where
our artillery, powder, ihot, and other ordnance flores were
received.
While we lay in Long Reach, thus employed, the Earl of
Sandwich, Sir Hugh Pallifer, and others of the Board of Admiralty,
as the laft mark of the very great attention they
had all along fhewn to this equipment, paid us a vifit on
the 8th of June, to examine whether every thing had been
completed conformably to their intentions and orders, and
io the fatisfailion of all who were to embark in the voyage.
* They,.
They, and feveral other Noblemen arid Gentlemen their *77s•
friends, honoured me with their company at dinner on that » J“"e' j
day ; and, on their coming on board, and alfo on their going
afhore, we faluted them with feventeen guns, and three
Cheers.
With the benevolent view of conveying fome permanent
benefit to the inhabitants of Otaheite, and of the other
tflands in the Pacific Ocean, whom we might happen to
vifit, his Majefly having commanded fome ufeful animals
to be carried out, we took on board, on the 10th, a bull, Monday .<*
two cows with their calves, and fome fheep, with hay and
corn for their fubfiflence ; intending to add to thefe, other
ufeful animals, when I fhould arrive at the Cape of Good
Hope.
I was alfo, from the fame laudable motives, furnifhed
with a fuflicient quantity of fuch of our European garden
feeds, as could not fail to be a valuable prefent to our newly-
difcovered iflands, by adding frefli fupplies of food to their
own vegetable productions.
Many other articles, calculated to improve the condition
of our friends in the other hemifphere in various ways, ■
were, at thè fame time, delivered to us by order of the
Board of Admiralty. And both Ihips were provided with
a proper afinrtment of iron tools and trinkets, as the means
of enabling us to traffic, and to cultivate a friendly inter-
courfe with the inhabitants of fuch new countries as we
might be fortunate enough to meet with.
The fame humane attention was extended to our Own
wants. Some additional cloathing, adapted to a cold climate,
was ordered for our crews: and nothing was denied to
us that could be fuppofed in the leaft conducive to health,
or even to convenience.