Dec 7, 1788 Home Logbook Dec 9, 1788
Revised Jun 29 2021
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Fresh Breezes and cloudy Wr. untill the forenoon when it was calm and light airs with a Hot Sun but at Noon the Wr. became cloudy again. The Sea considerably gone down, yet a long swell which makes the ship roll very much. Wind NW West and EBS and the Thermr. from 78° to 82°.
At day light got the Boats out and began to get the Booms on Deck. Payed the spare masts with Turpentine. Sent the Sailmakers on shore to repair the sails. Several Cannoes came off with supplies.
About 1 oClock the Queen came on board in a double Cannoe with a fine Hog and many bread fruit and Cocoa nuts. I expected this present, on account of which it was that she had quitted the ship last Evening and I would fain have recompensed her trouble with a return of other valuable things if she would have allowed me, but they insisted that I should not, as the present was out of friendship and not from a view of any reward. And they soon after quitted the ship exacting a promise from me this if the weather was fine I would come on shore in the morning and see their Parents and Sister, who they described to be under greatest fear and apprehensions about the safety of the ship.
These kind people had no sooner left me than Poeeno and his Wife came of[f] with another supply of Fruit. This Woman has on many occasions shown that she is possessed of great sympathy, and now marked it with such excess of Greif for the danger the ship had been in, that would have affected the most dispassionate creature existing. The strongest and only established proof among these people of their sincerity on those occasions is the wounding of themselves on the Top of the Head with a sharks tooth untill they bring on a vast profusion
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of blood, and having a knowledge of this I was prepared to prevent this Woman from doing it; but I had no sooner come to her than the operation was performed before I was aware of it, and her face was covered with blood in an instant. This circumstance however frequently happens upon triffling occasions, and with the drying up the Blood all feeling of the mind subsides it is allways a proof of great joy as well as excess of greif, but at this time it was a lasting token of the latter, and this affectionate creature could not be brought to resume any kind of chearfullness for two hours that she remained on board. The Husband, who is the principal Man of this district was very inquisitive, and seemed exceedingly anxious to discover if there was any fear on my side for the safety of the ship, and at last expressed himself to this purport, ":You shall live with me if the ship is lost, and we will cut down Trees to build another to carry you to Pretanee." I could only show my thanks to this friendly man by kindness and attention and as the night was coming on we parted on a similar promise I had made just before to Tynah and his Wife.
I passed the Night with more ease and rest than I had done before the two preceeding ones, and in the Morning I went on shore and took two Men with me to saw Plank for a Chest which I had promised Tynah should be made for him. In the mean time I directed the ships duty to be forwarded, that I might be able to proceed to sea upon any appearance of bad Weather coming on again. The Plants are the only things that detain me a single day, and as they are now doing very well shall give them all the time I prudently can before they are removed on board. I was no sooner on shore than I had Oberreeroah (Tynahs mother) her Daughter and several other Women about me to welcome me on my escape from the late bad weather, for this people were so prepossessed that I should be lost, that notwithstanding all the endeavors of my officers at the Tents they would not be convinced to the contrary.
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The scene was affecting and similar to what I have already described but as we were soon joined by Tynah, Poeeno, Moannah, and some others we were all in mirth and chearfullness before Noon.
As the House in which Oberreeroah was, belonged to Tynah, so with his people were those of the Old Lady all collected both young and old. The Women were employed mending or staining cloth and the children playing their little tricks as in a numerous family in England.
The use of needle and thread is not known in this country, but they have a method of repairing or mending their cloth equally efficacious which is done by a paste, so that either holes or rends are speedily mended and the principal part not defaced by it.
The colour they were staining with was the beautifull red I have already described. The Berry there described is a species of small Fig which they call Matte and the Leaf Ettou. A small sprinkling of water is found necessary to expedite the connection of the Juices of these two, which being collected in a plantain leaf cup is ready for use. They stain in a variety of forms, but the prettiest and most natural, as well as the most expeditious, is the impression of a leaf. A coarse fibrous leaf is generally chosen for this purpose, and the under part of it being wetted with the colour it is laid on the cloath and with a pat of the hand the impression is complete.
They have a kind of Turmerick with which they stain yellow and two other materials which I have not yet seen that gives a black and a brown Colour.
The manufactory of their cloth and matts are vastly improved since I was here, and the latter I attribute to the attention they have paid to those we left among them from the Friendly Islands.
They have received also a great deal of information from Omai. They give him a very good character and say he knew and showed them a great many things.
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The Plants have received no injury from the bad weather, but were obliged to be covered close up to prevent the spray of the sea hurting them. 12 were shifted to day which makes the whole amount to 287.
As Mr Nelson thinks that he can propagate the Plants from the Roots only & we can stow such where no others can be put, I have got some boxes fitted to my Hen Coops and three Boxes were filled to day.
I have forgot to mention that I have made many enquiries concerning their Ideas of Colour, and I find them to be as follows
Areva airee airee ... Blue, Black, Green, Brown Areva Oora .......... Red Areva Taiataiah ..... White Areva Erryah ........ Yellow
but they say white is no colour.
Dec 7, 1788 Home Logbook Dec 9, 1788