As foon as we had faluted, I went on ihore, accompanied
by fome of my officers, and waited on the Governor, the Lieutenant
Governor, the Fifcal, and the Commander of the troops.
Thefe gentlemen received me with the greateft civility ¡ and
the Governor, in particular, promifed me every affiilance
that the place afforded. At the fame time I obtained his
leave to fet up our obfervatory on any fpot I ihould think
moft convenient; to pitch tents for the failmakers and coopers
; and to bring the cattle on Ihore, to graze near our
encampment. Before I returned on board, I ordered foft
bread, freih meat, and greens, to be provided, every day, for
the ihip’s company.
Tuefdiy «. On the 22d, we fet up the tents and obfervatory, and began
to fend the feveral articles out of the Ihip which I
wanted on Ihore. This could not be done fooner, as the
militia of the place were exercifing on, or near, the ground
which we were to occupy.
Wedaei*. 23. The next day, we began to obferve equal altitudes of the
Sun, in order to afcertain the rate of the watch, or, which
is the fame thing, to find whether it had altered its rate.
Thefe,obfervations were continued every day, whenever the
weather would permit, till the time of our departure drew
near. But before this, the caulkers had been fet to work
to caulk the Ihip j and I had concerted meafures with
Meffrs. Brandt and Chiron, for fupplying both fhips wjth
fuch provifions as I ihould want. Bakers, likewife, had
been ordered, immediately after our arrival, to bake fuch a
quantity of bread as I thought would be requifite. s fail
as the feveral articles deftined for the Refolution were got
ready, they were carried on board.
t
On the 26th, the French ihip failed for Europe, and by
her, we fent letters to England. The next day, the Hamp- >----.. '
ihire Eaft India ihip, from Bencoolen, anchored in the bay, Sunday^2.6'
and faluted us with thirteen guns, which we returned with
eleven.
Nothing remarkable happened till the evening of the 31ft, Thurfdayji.
when it came on to blow exceffively hard at South Eaft, and
continued for three days ; during which time there was no
communication between the ihip and the ihore. The Refolution
was the only ihip in the bay that rode out the gale
without dragging her anchors. We felt its effedts as fenfi-
bly on ihore. Our tents and obfervatory were torn to pieces;
and our aftronomical quadrant narrowly efcaped irreparable November
damage. On the 3d of November the ftorm ceafed, and the Sunday 3.
next day we refumed our different employments.
On the 6th, the Hampihire India ihip failed for England. Wednef. 6..
In her I fent home an invalid, whom Captain Trimble was
fo obliging as to receive on board. I was afterwards forry
that I had not availed myfelf of this opportunity to part ,
with two or three more of my crew, who were troubled
with different complaints; but, at this time, there was fome
hope of their health being re-eftabliihed.
In the morning of the 10th, the Difcovery arrived in the Sunday to,
bay. Captain Clerke informed me that he had failed from
Plymouth on the ill of Auguft, and ihould have been With
us here a week fooner, if the late gale of wind had not
blown him off the coaft. Upon the whole, he was feven
days longer in his paffage from England than we had been.
He had the misfortune to lofe one of his marines, by falling
over-board; but there had been no other mortality
amongft his people, and they now arrived well and healthy.
Captain