The order not to permit the crews o f the boats to go ort
fhore was iffued, that I might do every thing in my jsower to
prevent the importation o f a fatal difeafe into this ifland,
which I knew fome o f our men now laboured under, and
w hich, unfortunately, had been already communicated by us
to other iftands in thefe feas. With- the fame view, I ordered
all female vifiters to be excluded from the fhips. Many o f
them had come o ff in the canoes. The ir fize, colour, and fea tures
did not differ much from thofe o f the m en ; and’ though
their countenances were remarkably open and agreeable;
there were few traces o f delicacy to be feen, either in their
faces, or other proportions. T h e only difference in their
drefs, was their ha vin g a piece o f cloth abour the body,,
rea chin g from n ear the middle, to h a lf-w a y down the thighs,
inftead o f the maro worn by the other fex. T h e y would as
readily have favoured us w ith their company on board as
the men ; but I' wifhed to prevent all- connection, which
migh t, too probably, convey an irreparable in ju ry to tliem-
felves, and, throu gh their means, to- the whole nation.
Another neceffary precaution was taken, by ftriCHy enjoinin
g , that no perfon, kn own to be capable of' propagating,
the infection, fhould be fent upon duty out o f the fhips.
Whether thefe regulations, dictated by humanity, had'the-
defired effeCt, or no, time on ly can difcover. I had been
equally attentive to the fame object, when I firft vilited the
Friendly Illand s; y e t I afterward found, with real concern,
that I had not fucceeded. And I am much afraid, that
this w ill always be the cafe, in fuch voyages as ours, whenever
it is neceflary to have a number o f people on fhore.
The opportunities and inducements to an intercourfe between
the fexes are then too numerous to be guarded
4 „ againft t
a g a in ft ; and however confident we may be o f the health
©f our men, we are often undeceived too late. It is even >-— .—
a matter o f doubt with me, i f it be always in the power o f
the moft fk ilfu l o f the fa cu lty to pronounce, with any certainty,
whether a perfon who-has been under their care, in
certain ftages o f this malady,, is fo effectually cured, as to
leave no poffibility o f his being Hill capable o f communicating
the taint. I think I could mention fome inftances
w hich ju ftify my prefuming to hazard this opinion. It is,
lik e wife, well known, that, amongft a number o f men},
there are, generally, to be found fome fo bafhful as to-en-
deavour to conceal their labouring under any fymptoms o f
this diforder. And there are others,'again, fo profligate, as-
not to care to whom they communicate it. O f this fait, we
had an inftance at Tongataboo, in the gu nn er o f the Difco-
very, who had been ftationed on fhore to manage the trade
fo r that fliip. A fte r he kn ew that- he had contracted this
difeafe, he continued to have connections with different
women, who were fuppofed not to have already contracted
it. His companions expoftulated with him without effect,
till Captain Clerke, hearing o f this dangerous irregularity
o f conduCt, ordered him.on board.
While the boats were occupied in examining the coaff,
we flood.on and o ff with the fhips, w a iting for their return..
About noon,. Mr. Williamfon came back, and reported, that
he had feen a large pond behind a beach near one o f the
villages, w hich the natives told him contained frefh water j
and that there was anchoring-ground before it, He alfo -
reported, that he had attempted to land in another place},
but was prevented by the natives, who, coming down to
the boats in great numbers, attempted, to take away the
oars, mufkets, and, in fhort, every thing that they could.
'la y.