Pip A N A C C O U N T O F
1783.
NOVEMBERC
H A P T E R XVIII.
Preparations made fo r the Completion o f the Vejfel, and fecu r-
, ing her being fafely launched.— Great Sufpicions entertained
on the King’s MeJJdge, which Captain Wilson endeavours
to quiet— Steps taken by our People to make R e f fiance, in
cafe their Departure Jbould be impeded.—•'The Captain fends
Mr. Sharp and Mr. M . W i l s o n to P e l e w , with a ll the
Tools arid Iron they could /pare, with Ajfurances o f the r e f,
as foon as the Vejfel wasJauncbed; and to notify to the King
that he purpofed to fa il in fix or Jeven Days.— They meet the
King~and bis Retinue on their Way to O r o o l o n g .— Go
back %mth him to the I f and o f P e t h o u l l , where they pafs
the Night.— Abba T hblle receives the Rrefents gra-
. cioufiy.— A great Supper o f the King’s deferibed.— They a ll
come next Day to O r -o o l o n g .— M a d a n B l a n c h a r d informs
Captain W i l s o n o f a Refolution he had taken to
remain behind with the Natives after Arguments ufed
in vain to dijfuade him, be is propofed to. the King to ' be left
at P e l e w , who\ pleafed with the Circumfance, takes him
under his Protection.
Monday 3. r p H E weather being now fair and fettled, with frefii
-®- gales o f wind from the N. E. the carpenters were
employed in making the rudder, and A l b e r t Pierson the
quarter-
/
quarter-mafter, i& making the mails out of fbcae of -the
fmali fpars faved from the wreck; bufied in caulking
the dfwk, and others in'painting the tides, which, in addition
to the coat that the King’s people intended to give her,
would ke fufficient to keep out the weather. In the evening
they, held a eonfultation about the method of launching
their yelIM, which they had now ncmdy;topapl£tod, when
it was agreed to. lay ways, though it had been propofed hy
fame to; do .it hy large coders,« , . they fonaetinj^ dauneh
cutter v^This was a matter of furious moment, for had any
accMfenfc happened to theyeflel duihtgtJhs ;c^ratio% their
tool?. being nearly -worn out, and their former refounces,
from the wnepk 3>t an .end, their destiny mull, in all human
probability* have teen to have paCed the remainder o f their
exiled from the reft o f the world, in thefe remote and
unknown Jflands.
This morning many hands went to w°rk in cutting
down trees to make Mocks and launching ways, others
in giving the bottom of the veffel another, coat of Cbi-
nam- Two canoes being feen near the harbour, before
night, and neither o f them coming in, was a circumftance
which contributed not a little to increafe the fufpicions
entertained by our people, thefe canoes being 'conjectured
to be fpies. watching their motions; they having entertained
an idea that the natives intended to prevent their
departure. A t dark they went to: a quarter watch, loaded
the fwivels and fix-pounder with grape-fhot, and kept
a good
1783,
NOVEMB ER,
Tuefday 4,