Apr 8, 1792 Home Providence Log Apr 10, 1792
Revised Aug 26 2021
1 pm: Moderate Breezes and fine Weather.
4 pm: Maitea true South distant 2 Miles off Shore.—
Four Cannoes came off to us, hove too.—
6 pm: Bore away Maitea East 6 Miles –
8 pm: In 1st. Reefs —
12 mid: Very Squally Weather and heavy Showers of Rain
In 2nd. and 3rd. Reefs.—
4 am: Thick Squally Weather. The Isthmus SbW.
6 am: The Weather came on so very Squally with thick Rain that untill ½ past 8 I hove too. The Extremes of Otaheite bore from SSE½E to WbS off Shore about 5 Leagues.–
9 am: Fresh Breezes and Cloudy. The Highest Mountain of Moreah and Point Venus on at WbS½S.—
11 am: Hauled round the Dolphin Bank & Worked up into Matavia Bay, where I Anchored in 9 fathoms and Moored with an open Hawse to the Sea, Point Venus N30E ⅔ of a Mile, West head of Tarra S25°W, East Head S3°W 1 Mile, End of Reef N10°W Morai Point at Oparre S10W Extremes of Morea S11°W to S88°W, its High Mountain S76°W—the Best Bower lay in 15 fathoms.
I steered to the North of the Island and hauled round under the lee of it, where I brought to about 2 Miles distant from the Shore. Four small Cannoes came off to us with whom I traded for a few Cocoa Nutts, two baked Breadfruit, and a small lunch of Plantains. The Men were all but one, of the lowest class, or Towtows, some of them recognized me. The superior Man said he was the Erree ra high of the Island, but I soon found he was deceiving me, a circumstance not at all uncommon among these People. He had on an European Shirt which he said was given to him by one (?)Pahteenee, but I could not make out who this Pahteenee was. He was desirous to go to Otaheite in the Ship, and on my refusing him, he told me he would follow to Morrow. He said two Ships had passed about 3 Months ago, but he knew not from what country they came. The lee side of this Island has no plantations on it, it being so remarably steep to the summit of the Mountain that scarce any Soil will lie on it. The Weather side appeared cloathed with Cocoa Nutt Trees.
The Night came on boisterous, and the Morning so much so that I was obligeed to lye by for some time, for I was not able to see the land distinctly. Towards Noon the Weather came fair, and we Anchored in Matavia Bay without accident. I was immediately visited by my Old acquaintances, and to my surprise by a Whale Boat of a Ship that was lost, called the Matilda, Mathew Weatherland Master. I found that Captain Vancouver had been here. Captain Edwards in the Pandora, and many various accounts respecting them. Every person I saw gave me joy of my safe return to Otaheite.
I had not many Cannoes off to the Ships. for the People of Oparre & Matavia were at War, on account of the Matavia People refusing to share the things they had robbed the Seamen of the Matilda of. I heard this News with some concern, as it militated much against my plans of immediately beginning to get the Bread Fruit. The People who came off to me were Iddeeah the Queen (her husband was from home), Tootaha an old Priest, and Oreepyah and Whydooah the Brothers of Tynah.
Here Log Account Ends & Civil begins, this page taking in 36 Hours —
(?) Pateenee. a seaman called Martin belonging to the Bounty.
[The last paragraph is in a different hand and much darker, so presumably added at a later time by a different person.]
Apr 8, 1792 Home Providence Log Apr 10, 1792