Apr 15, 1792 Home Providence Log Apr 17, 1792
Revised Aug 26 2021
Moderate and Cloudy Weather which towards the middle of the Day became Squally and at Night smart Rain. Wind about EbS and the Thermometer 82 to 83½ Degrees.
In the Morning I sent the Second Lieutenant of the Ship Mr. Guthrie, Lieut. Pearce of the Marines with his party and those of the Assistant, amounting to 20 Men, and three non Commissioned Officers, a Mate and two Midshipmen, to guard our Breadfruit Walk. I ordered also the Surgeon of the Matilda to be of the Party, who with the two Botanists made 27 Men capable of using Arms.
Not many Cannoes about the Ship, but very sufficient supplies. Carpenters employed caulking the Larboard side. Finished Salting 4 Hogsheads of Pork.
The favorable Wind yesterday brought me over my friend Tynah. He came on board about two OClock in a covered Cannoe with his two Wives, Iddeeah & Whyareddee. His Father old Otoo came in another Cannoe. There appeared a natural degree of affection in Tynah & his Father that gave me much pleasure. We all thank God (he said to me) that you are safe. We were told you were put into a little Boat & sent a drift without any thing to eat or drink, and that you must perish. You have a fine Ship now, Have you good Men? have you a bad Man among them? Have you seen King George? What did he say to you? and many various questions he put to me respecting every person he knew. I asked him how he came to be so friendly to Christian, for that proved to me he was not sincere in what he said. He replied, "I really thought you was living and gone to England untill Christian came back the second time. I was then from home, but all my Friends as soon as they heard from the Men who came on Shore, on their questioning them, that you was lost, from that time we did not profess any friendship to him, and Christian knew it so well that he only remained a few hours, and went away in such a hurry, that he left a second Anchor behind him. One of the Anchors we got & gave it to the Pandora.["] Thus he freed himself from any suspicion on my side, & with his usual good nature & cheerfullness regained my esteem & regard.
Poeeno & the Matavai People seem to be objects of great dislike to Tynah and his Father, they requested I would undertake the War with them to destroy those people, as well as the Inhabitants of Paparrah & Oaitepeeah, who had a number of Musquets. They knew it was an object worth their most strenuous endeavours to persuade me to, but they had the good sense not to be seriously offended at my refusal, when I told them it would interfere with the busyness I was sent on, however still threatened the adverse Party unless they brought in the Arms & Money.
Tynah brought me a large Hog and some Cloth, Breadfruit, Plantains and Cocoa Nutts. His Wife Whyareddee also put a few peices of Cloth about me, but there was very little of the ancient Custom of the Otaheitean, all that was laid aside. It is rather a difficulty to get them to speak their own language without mixing a jargon of English, and they are so generally altered, that I believe no European in future will ever know what their ancient Customs of receiving Strangers were.
It surprised me to find Tynah to have another Wife, while Iddeeah was living, it is however the Case. She is a Woman of Iddeeah's Stature, but has a much handsomer Countenance. She was the Wife of Whaeeahtuah, the Chief of Tiarraboo who is dead. They all slept on board together, & the Women were on the best of terms with each other.
Tynah brought with him Captain Cook's Picture, and on the back of it, underneath my Memorandum is as follows.—
His Britannick Majesty's Ship Pandora Sailed from Matavai Bay Otaheite 9th May 1791.His Britannick Majesty's Ship Discovery and Armed Tender Chatham Sailed from Matavai Bay 24th January 1792.
I should have been happy to have received a letter from Captain Edwards to have known how he had proceeded, it would have been delivered to me as safe as the Picture, and I might have assisted in finishing the object of his Voyage.
Tynah observing the Man in Irons who I had confined for being about the Assistants Cable in the Night, laughed at me exceedingly for confining a Man Man, Nainaivah, as he called him, which also implies foolish., At his request he was liberated & told not to come any more near the Ships.
The present I made to Tynah and his Friends gave them much pleasure, particularly a Suit of Crimson coloured Cloth with Gold Lace about the Cape and Sleeves, and printed Callico Night Gowns to the Women. To these I added every thing they wished for in Iron or Trinkets.
I had forgot to mention that I saluted Tynah on his Arrival with 10 Guns.
Apr 15, 1792 Home Providence Log Apr 17, 1792