Oct 28, 1788 Home Logbook Oct 30-31, 1788
Revised Jun 29 2021
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Fair Wr. and a pleasant Trade Wind with some light showers of Rain and Lightning in the Middle part. Wind at Et & ENE. and the Thermr. from 81½° to 79¼°.
Several large Hogs weighing above two hundred Weight were brought off to day, and many more of a smaller size; I therefore made preparations and began to Salt, to insure myself a sufficiency of provisions in case of scarcity hereafter, altho I see no appearance of it. Great abundance of Cocoa Nutts and Breadfruit, besides Plantains and a few Yams were brought on board, and I believe no Men ever lived in such abundance as we do at present.
Otoo continued his Visit all the Afternoon, in the course of which he eat four times of roasted Hog besides his Dinner. On leaving me he desired I would take care of some things I had given him for having no House he said they would be stolen — this surprised me, and I could not get him to tell me where he lived, but found it was not at Oparre, and I afterwards was told it was near Oaitepeha, and heard several accounts of his being drove about by a War in the Island, which as I cannot at present with any certainty speak of, I shall defer it untill I can rely and reconcile the different incoherent accounts. However what I have seen proves evidently what was generally thought of Otoo, (except by Captn Cook in particular,) and that is he is a Man only nominally possessed of power, or otherwise he has not abilities to govern, which may be the Case, as the Cheifs revile him upon all occasions. He has nevertheless consequence, of which and every matter concerning him I hope I shall be able to relate with much certainty.
In the Evening Mr Nelson and his assistant returned, and gave me very promising hopes that we should meet with a sufficient number of Bread fruit plants to complete at this place. He saw two very fine and large shaddock Trees which he had planted in an Infant state when he was here in 1777, they were full of fruit but not ripe.
Bought a very fine weather goat to day and a young Kid. In the morning I returned my visit to Otoo. He was in a small shed about a quarter of a mile to the Eastward of Matavai point, attended not with one Cheif of much consequence and his wife and three children which I found to be his relations. After making a few presents to him, I returned to the House
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of Poeeno and of his Father Moan,nah, che Cheifs of Matavai district, here assisted by Mr Nelson I had some Melons, Cucumbers, and some sallad seeds sown, and made myself well understood, how much it was my wish to do every good to our friends at this Island, and at which they expressed much pleasure and satisfaction. Many others of much value I assured them would be planted as soon as we had time, and they were delighted to think they were of a kind that would grow to Trees and produce fruit. I thought this plan a good preface to my solicitations if necessary, to get the plants I wanted, and I had already made great Friends of these two Men. In my walk I saw large patches of Tobacco growing and many Pompion plants. The Breadfruit Trees & Cocoa Nutts were full of fruit, and is the beginning of the Season. I now returned on board to Dinner with the Cheif Moan,nah where I found Oreepyah and Whydooah the two Brothers of Otoo and their attendants.
Among the Women who were now come on board to the Men, I found one who had been on board the Resolution in 1777. She was a shrewd Girl, & among other questions put to her, were, if the Venereal disease was still among them. I was instantly answered in the affirmative, and such a string of descriptive circumstances of the havock it had made came out, as shocked me to the greatest degree. Many fine Girls she said had died of it, and described the many forms this dreadful disease puts on as left me no room to doubt of the truth of the relation: however I have not as yet seen any afflicted in a manner as to judge if it at present exists, or is my knowledge of the language sufficient to enquire if they had discovered a cure for the complaint.
Oct 28, 1788 Home Logbook Oct 30-31, 1788