December, ^ emec^ indifferent about the matter, and by this means foon
i— ,— i bought the largeft hogs for one large, or two middling-fized toes.
On our afking for water, they prefently brought us fome very
excellent, indeed the beft by far we had hitherto met with. This
kind of traffic was entirely new to them, and they very gladly fup-
plied us on the fame eafy terms we bought I t for at Whahoo.
Cocoa-nuts we found in the greateft.plenty; the fettled price for
them was five for an eightpenny nail. The fugar-cane was exceeding
fine, and equally cheap. The taro here is by far the fineft
o f any we met with, and very plentiful; we commonly got five-
fine roots for an eightpenny or tenpenny nail. This ifland produces
no yams, and very little, i f any bread-fruit.
The weather till the 27th was moderate and fine; but on that
day, a ftrong breeze fprung up at Eaft North Eaft.. and a heavy
fwell fet in from Eaft South Eaft, right along ffiore: we were
moored with the flream-anchor, and rode much eafier than at
Whahoo; befides, the bottom here being free from rocks, we were
under lefs anxiety in regard to our cables.
The 28th, and part o f the 29th, were wet and dirty; but towards
evening, the fky brightened up, and the weather grew moderate
and fine.
This being Chriftmas, that feafon of the year fo univerfally
convivial throughout the civilized world, we fpent our time as
agreeably, and with plenty of as gopd cheer as we could procure,
fuch as roaft pig, fea-pie, &c. &c. and to fhew our refined tafle,
even in our liquor, we no longer drank grog mixed with fimple
water, but offered our Chriftmas libations in punch, mixed with
, - the
hi I
the juice of the cocoa-nut, toafting our friends and miftreffes in 1787.
bumpers of this liquor, which, perhaps, pleafed more on account
of its novelty, than from any other circumftance.
The weather feldom continuetj fettled for more than a day together;
ftrong breezes at Eaft North Eaft, with a heavy South Eaft
fwell, frequently intervening.
By the 4th of January, 1787, we had falted and packed five
puncheons of pork for fea-ftore; but hogs now grew rather fcarce,
not that we fuppofed the fcarcity real, but owing to fome fcheme
or other of the petty Chiefs, We had for fome time expected a
vifit from the King, and been given to underftand, that his prefence,
like a cornucopia, would teem with plenty; but- hisMajefty
had not as yet thought proper to- favour us fo far.
Abbenooe, the Chief, whom we met with at Oneehow laft year,
was generally on board the King George, and being attached to
Captain Portlock, caufed plenty of fine hogs to be fent him; but
at prefent we found very little of his influence reach on board our
vefiel.
From the 5th to the 9th, the weather was in an unlettled ftate,
the wind frequently Ihifting to the Weftward, but feldom blew
from that quarter twelve hours together, and then only a moderate
breeze. During this time, we were daily vifited by the natives,
who kept bringing us a few hogs,' with taro, cocoa-nuts, &c. but
barely fufficient to fupply us from hand to mouth,
Befides this traffic, which was carried on for necelfaries, the natives
had a brilk trade for curiolities of various kinds, fuch as
cloaks»