jHoJcIber. ^ou are a^ ° t0 C0mply with fuch. parts o f faid inftrucw_
v tions, as have not been executed, and are not contrary to
thefe orders. And in. cafe o f your inability, b y ficknefs or
otherwife, to carry thefe, -and the inftruitiorrs o f their Lord-
ftnps, into execution, you a re to be careful to leave them with
the next- officer in command, who is hereby required to ex*
ecute them in the belt manner he can.
- Given under my hand, on board the Refolution, at
Ulietea, the 18th Day o f November 1777.'
J. C O O K ”
To Captain Charles Clerke, Commander of .
his Majefy’s Sloop, the Difcovery.”
While w e la y moored to the fhore, we heeled, and fcrub-
bed both fides o f the bottoms o f the fhips. At the fame
time, we fixed fome tin-plates under the binds,; firiT taking
o ff the old fheathing, and p utting in a piece unfilled, over
w h ich the plate? were nailed. The fe plates I had from the
ingenious Mr. Pelham, Secretary to the Commiffioners for
V iftu a llin g his Majefty’s N a v y ; with a .v ie w o f try in g
whether tin would anfwer the fame end as copper, on the
bottoms o f fhips.
' 0
Monday 24. On the 24th in the morning, I was informed that a mid-
ihipman, and a feaman, both be longing to the Difcovery,
were miffing. Soon after, we learnt from the natives, that
they went away in a canoe the preceding evening, and
were, at this time, at the other end o f the ifland. As the
midffiipman was known to have expreffed a defire to remain
at thefe iflands, it feemed pretty certain, that he and his
companion had gone o ff with this intention; and Captain
Clerke fe-t out in quell o f them with two armed boats, and
a party o f marines. His expedition proved f ru it le fs ; for he
” • returned
returned in the evening, without having got any certain «m-
intelligence where, they were. From the conduit of.the na- ■Wovembei';
tives, Captain Clerke feemed to think, that they intended
to conceal the defe rte rs; and, w ith that view, had amufed
him with falfe information the whole day, and directed
him to fearch for them in places where, they were not to be
found. T he Captain ju d g ed r ig h t ; for, the next mornin
g, w e were told, that our runaways were at Otaha. As
thefe two were, not the only perfons in the fhips who wiHied
to end their days, at the fe favourite iflands, in order to
put a flop to any furth er defertion, it was neceffary to get
them back at all events.; and that the natives might be convinced
that I was in earneft, I refolved to go after them
m y fe lf; ha vin g obferved, from repeated inftances, thatthey
feldom. offered to deceive me with falfe. in fo rm a l
tion.
Accordingly, T fe t out, the next'morning, w ith 'tw o arm- Tukdky-e;».
ed bo ats | being accompanied b y the C h ie f himfelf. I pro- '
ceeded, as he d irected ,w ith ou t flopping any where, till we
came to. the middle o f the flaft fide o f Otaha, T he re w e
put affiore ; and Oreo difpatched a.man-before u s , with or-
ders to feize the deferters, and keep them t i l l 'w e fhould
arrive with the boats. But when we got to the place w h e re
we.expedted to find them, we were fold, that they had'
quitted this ifland, and gone over to Bolabola the. day be--
fo ie . I did not think, proper to follow'them thither; but
returned to the fh ip s ; fu lly determined, however, to h a v e ,
recourfe to a meafure, which, 1 gueffed, would oblige the-.,
natives, to bring them, back,
l a .