1777» the b u ll, w h ich I had brought, the horfe and mare, and
iheep, I put alhore at Matavai.
H a v in g thus difpofed o f thefe paflèngers, I found m y fe lf
lightened o f a ve ry heav y burthen. T h e trouble and vexation
that attended the b rin g in g this liv in g cargo thus far,
is hardly to be conceived. But the fatisfaftion that I felt, in
h a v in g been fo fortunate as to fu lfil his Majefty’s humane
- defign, in fending fuch valuable animals, to fupply the
wants o f two worthy nations, fufficiently recómpenfed me
fo r the many anxious hours I had palled, before this fub-
ordinate objetft o f m y voyage could be carried into execution.
As I intended to make fome flay here,' we fet up the two
obfervatories on Matavai Point. Adjoining to them, two
tents were pitched, fo r the reception o f a guard, and o f fuch
people as it m igh t be neceflary to leave on ihore, in different
departments. At this llation, I intruded the command to
Mr. K in g ; who, at the fame time, attended the obfervations,
for afcertaining the go in g o f the time-keeper, and other
purpofes. Du ring our day, various neceflary operations
employed the crews o f both ihips. T h e Difcovery’s main-
mad was carried afliore, and made as good as ever. Our
fails and water-caiks were repaired ; the ihips were caulkëd ;
and the r ig g in g all overhauled. We alfo infpeéted all the
bread that w e had on board in calks ; and had the fatis-
faftion to find, that but little o f it was damaged.
Tuefday 26. On the 26th, I had a piece o f ground cleared, for a
garden, and planted it w ith feveral articles ; very few o f
w h ich , I believe, the natives w ill ever look after. Some
melons, potatoes, and two pine-apple plants, were in a fair
w a y
w a y o f fuceeeding, before w e le ft the place. I had brought,
from the Friend ly Blands, feveral fhaddock trees. T h e fe I
a lfo planted here ; and they can hardly fail o f fuccefs, un-
lefs their growth fhould be checked by the fame premature
curiofity, w h ich deftroyed a vine planted b y the Spaniards at
Oheitepeha. A number o f the natives got together, to tafte the
firft fru it it b o re ; but, as the grapes were ftill four, they con-
fidered it as little better than poifon, and it was unanimoufly
determined, to tread it under foot. In thatfllate, Qmai found
it b y chance, and was overjoyed at the difcovery. For he had
a fu ll confidence, that, i f he had but grapes, he could eafily
make wine. Accordingly, he had feveral flips cu t off from
the tree, to carry awa y with h im ; and we pruned, and put
in order, the remains o f it. Probably, grovyn w ife by
Omai’s inftruftions, they may now fuffer the fru it to grow
to perfection, and not pafs fo hafty a fentence upon it
again.
We had not been e ight and fo rty hours at anchor in Matavai
Bay, before w e were vifited b y all our old friends,
whofe names are recorded in the account o f my laft voyage.
Not one o f them came empty handed j fo that we had more
provifions than we k n ew what to do with. .W ha t was ftill
more, we were under no apprehenfions o f exhaufting#the
ifland, which prefented to our eyes every mark o f the moft
exuberant plenty, in every article o f refrefliment.
Soon after our arrival here, one o f the natives, whom the
Spaniards had carried w ith them to Lima, paid us a v ilit ;
but, in his external appearance, he was not diftinguifhable
from the reft o f his countrymen. However, he had not
forgot fome Spanifh words w hich he had acquired, though
he pronounced them badly. Amongft them, the moft fre quent
were; ft Stnnor; and, w hen a ftranger was introduced
V o l . II. E to