Dec 16, 1788 Home Logbook Dec 18, 1788
Revised Jun 29 2021
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Moderate Breezes and fair Wr. with much Lightning and Thunder in the Middle part and some light rain. Wind at ESE, SE, & ENE and the Thermr. from 78 to 81½.
Employed about the sails and drying bread. In the morning I ordered the Forge to be put up to make and mend some Iron work for the ship. Received supplies from the Natives as usual.
At sun rise this morning I set out on an excursion, accompanied by my Old Friend Moannah and Mr Nelson, to see the more interior parts of the Island, and as following the Run of the River would lead us through a Valley towards its source and among the habitations of our daily Visitors and acquaintance the Walk became pleasant and agreeable on every account.
About three miles from the Bay was the full extent of the flat land towards the Hills and we were then at the beginning of the Valley. In the course of this Walk we past a most delightful country covered every way with Bread fruit and Cocoa nutt Trees. The Bread fruit Trees are planted very close together by which means they grow to a considerable height and the branches being mostly towards the Top, the walk underneath them is cool and agreeable even at mid-day. As this was too early a Stage to make a Stop at I proceeded up the Valley, and after crossing the River several times we got to a Friends House which we considered about 4 or 5 miles from the Bay.
Thus far we had scarce ever walked 50 yards without passing or seeing many Houses which appeared to be parcelled out for the mutual convenience of the inhabitants, and those we found to be very numerous with swarms of children, all in a domestick and happy state. As we advanced up the Valley we saw small plantations of yams, Tarro, and the cloth plant with, many of their favorite Root the Ava, but untill we had entered
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it, scarce any kind of cultivation was to be seen. The Bread fruit Trees were however not so flourishing and luxuriant as nearer the Bay: there were many about the sides of the Hills, but they were dwarfs in comparison to the others.
The course of the River is very serpentine and were obliged to cross it many times on Mens Backs; but the Stream was small to what it is at times for its Banks are in most places 30 yeards across, which in the Rainy season is frequently overflowed, and very large stones brought down from the mountains by its rapidity.
On my coming up to a Morai I found a number of the Natives collected on devotion to their Eatua. The whole were not employed however on this Service, some were preparing a Hog and Breadfruit for their Breakfast, and many others were not idle. The Preist was at the morai with about fifteen men with him all sitting on their heels. In the front was a pole covered with a plaited Cocoanut branch and before each of the men were a number of small peices of the same leaf platted, which they call Hahyree, and each man had a peice round his wrist. The Preist after praying aloud was answered by all the rest, and then after a few short sentences and responses, they rose, and each carried an Hahyree, placed it at the foot of the pole and returned to the service, which was repeated with intervals of prayer untill they were all delivered and the ceremony ended. They told me that they had been to pooray, that their Eatua would like them for it, and they they had left Plantains and Bread fruit for him to eat. As far as I could understand they attend at their Morais to pray as we go to Church on Sundays. They very kindly asked us to Breakfast with them, but it was not convenient to us.
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That I might make the most of the morning before the sun got high, the refreshments our friend intended for us we desired him to get ready by the time we returned from prosecuting the Walk a little farther, and we therefore set out again along the River which was bad walking. The Valley now became very narrow not above 100 yards across, and the Hills were high and covered with wood. We saw many picturesque and romantick views but we had now got beyond either Bread fruit or Cocoa nut Trees or any houses except a Hut or two for the convenience of travellers.
We were at last suddenly surprized at the sight of a Cascade which fell into the River from above 200 feet high. The Fall at this time was not great but must be considerable in heavy rains, and the Natives showed it us as if they thought it a Wonder of the World. But the fall of water is by far the least curious, for it is a perpendicular clift which it comes over that appears to be made up of Square Pillars of Stone wonderfull to behold. Underneath this is a pool of water of 8 or 9 feet deep, into which the River falls and is the place where all the Natives make a point of bathing. The Hills here approach each other within a few yards, and to advance farther into the Country the Road leads to the Mountains that are in most parts full of wood. I therefore determined to return to our Friends House. I cannot say with any certainty how far this curious precipice is from the Bay, the Road being so bad for the most part of the way through the Valley, but as we walked it, it is not less than seven miles. It is however well worth any Travellers trouble to see it. It has the name of Peeah Roah.
At our resting place was prepared a fine young Pig for us, and we made a hearty meal of it. The proprietor was an old acquaintance of Mr Nelsons who when he was here in 1777 planted two shaddock Plants which he had brought from the Friendly Islands. These we had now the pleasure to see grown to fine Trees and full of Fruit. Another fine Tree is a little within the Beach
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near the middle of Matavai Bay.
I saw no care taken of any thing that was planted except the Cloth Plant and the Ava, both of these were kept free of Weeds. The Cloth Plant is taken great pains with, the bank on which it is planted is ditched round and fenced with Stones. This plant is known under the name of morus papapifera. The Plantations for Yams & Plantains are upon the High Grounds and Hills that are near to the Flat Land, and from the large plats we have seen them cleaning by Fire they certainly plant considerably, as well as from the great quantity of the latter we see them make use of and the abundance they bring us. I have seen but very few Yams, and these are Small, which I am told is because they are not in season. Scarce any Tarro either have I seen, and perhaps they care little about it as they have plenty of Bread fruit which answers every purpose.
As soon as I had dined we returned on our way to the ship after stopping at several Houses to satisfy our friend Moannah, whose appetite encreased with his walk, and eat considerably at each place we rested at.
The River would abound with Fish if the Natives did not use unfair means of taking them; but they get in droves across different parts of it, and with nets catch all sizes, so that it is rare to see a fish longer than ones finger and those very Scarce.
Dec 16, 1788 Home Logbook Dec 18, 1788