Feb 8, 1789 Home Logbook Feb 10, 1789
Revised Jun 29 2021
(194
Moderate and fair Wr. with a few Showers some Calms. The Wind Variable round the Compass and the Thermr. 80° and 82¼°.
I began at Daybreak to get all chests up, and with boiling water washed all parts of the ship to kill Cockroaches and other Vermin, with which also every persons chest was washed with much success.
After dinner Tynah requested of me to send a present to Whaeeahtua by Taigh the Person who I have already mentioned in yesterdays Log. I desired he would name what it should be, and accordingly he told me to send for a Shirt, a Hatchet, Knife, File, Two Toeys and some Nails, & I directed them to be immediatly brought, and they were sent as a present from me to Whaeeahtua.
I have already spoke of a Valuable Root caled Peeah, and to day a large quantity was brought from the Mountains to show me how it was to be prepared for keeping a length of time. These Roots were about the size of the common run of Potatoes and were washed and scraped very clean. They were then grated down, as Potatoes are to make Starch, by help of peices of Coral and when they have not the Coral, they take about two feet of the branch of the Cocoa Nutt Tree and pass or twist round the middle of it a hard peice of line, which equally answers the purpose of a Grater. The Peeah being all grated down, they make a small Basket with sticks about 6 Inches deep and 18 Inches Square. It is then placed over a Vessel sufficiently large for the purpose. The bottom is now covered with their common strainer which is made of the Fibres of the Plant called Moa or Mo sometimes Mow. Over this a coarse fibrous bark of the Cocoa nut Tree is placed as the principal one, and is secured by small pointed sticks to the frame or Basket. The strainer is now filled with the Peeah and worked about with the Hand with a quantity of Water untill all the fine parts of it is Contracted, which with the Water falls into the Receiver. This is continued till all is done when the whole is left to settle, which it soon does. The Water is then poured off and there remains a fine sediment which is made up into Balls for use.
Feb 8, 1789 Home Logbook Feb 10, 1789