Jul 17, 1792 Home Providence Log Jul 20, 1792
Revised Aug 26 2021
The Weather came clear to day, but we had such West and North Winds, untill 3 OClock in the Afternoon we could not Sail. In this interval I had the West end of the Dolphin Bank bouyed and East part of the next bank, for the deep Water Channel as I was determined to tow out. At 4 we got under way and towed out into a fresh Sea Breeze which was blowing about 2 Miles without the Land. Assistant in Company. We carried 13 14 16 10 15 17 21 21 25 fathoms untill a parrallel with the North part of the Coast and then had no ground at 35 fathoms. Mustered the Ship's Company.
In the Morning I went to see Old Oberreeroah as she was infirm, and to take my leave of her and Otoo. The latter was absent for a few hours, but the Old Woman I made my last present to. She showed the most affectionate regard at my taking leave, and I left her with Otow in great distress.
About 9 O'Clock Otoo came off to the Ship in a Double Cannoe, and remained along side untill Noon. He would not come on board, I therefore gave my present to him from my Boat. It consisted of Shirts, Printed Linnen, Large Axes, Knives, Hatchets, Toeys, Scissors, Nails, Saws, Beads and several other articles. they were all enumerated amidst a number of People, and very gratefully received. We parted with shaking hands, and a promise exacted from me to come again to Otaheite.
The Sea Breeze appearing without, brought off every Soul of our acquaintance. I had still numerous presents to make, and I gave them with my warmest regard and good Wishes. Tynah, Ideeah, Oreepyah, and their Servants, requested to be the last out of the Ship, by which means, as it blew very strong when I got out in the Breeze, I was under he necessity to keep them all Night, or risk the loss of my Boat. This delighted the poor People, altho they must have suffered great inconvenience from it.
19th. July
During the Night it blew a hard Gale of Wind at EbS, our passengers however cared little about it. At day dawn I made up my presents for Tynah & Iddeeah and having stored them with an assortment of every Article I had and Iron Work in great abundance, the whole was embarked, and I ordered them to be landed at Oparre.
From the most earnest sollicitation of our Friend Tynah, I gave him a Musquet and 500 rounds or Powder and Shot. It was the least I could do for him who had served us so well, particularly as his Ennemies would soon be about him with a superior force.
During the absence of the Boat, we kept plying off & on,. About 11 O'Clock she returned and was hoisted in. It continuing to blow very hard we made Sail under Double Reefs, and at Noon (19 July & here Log Account begins the 20th 12 Hours earlier than Civil Account) Point Venus bore S85°E distant 6 or 7 Miles, West Head of Tarrah S44°E 4 Miles and the North part of Moreah N86°W. Wind at East and Thermometer 77 Degrees. Served full allowance of Grog.
To my astonishment I found a Man (who had always been with the Botanists in collecting and taking care of the Plants) secreted between Decks. The Gale was too strong for me to beat back and land him, without much loss of time, when every moment is of the greatest consequence to me, and I had not a heart to make him jump over board. While I was debating in my mind what was best to be done, the Botanists told me he had been a valuable Man to them, & would be of great use if I kept him. As this was an act of the Man's own, I conceived he might be usefull to our Friends in Jamaica in attending the Plants, about which he knew a great deal; and as he was an active fellow & a Towtow, I knew the People on Shore would be satisfied with the loss of him expecting to benefit by it in the end. I thought it no worth delaying a moments time to land him, which might have delayed me another day, & therefore directed that he should be under the care of the Botanists to look after the Plants.
The Chiefs parted very affectionately with Mididdee (sometimes called Mydee or Mydeeai), he left them & his Country without shedding a Tear, altho a great deal attached to them all. Tynah desired he would see King George, & hoped that a Ship would be sent out for him. His conversation in my Cabbin on the whole for the last quarter of an hour when the Boat was waiting, was like an affectionate creature who was loosing a valuable Friend; both him however and Iddeeah, parted from us at last with only a respectfull regard, and answered our three Cheers which were given from both Ships. I have taken no notice of Wyerreddee as she absented herself on having disobliged Tynah.
There is a most worthy & disinterested Couple who live at Oparre. They are relations to Tynah. The Man is called Moro,tarrah & the Woman Toee,dooah,. She is remarkable for her attention to us & real grief at parting; but my particular reason for mentioning her ism she received the Matilda's People with the warmest hospitality when they arrived after the loss of their Ship. She is a well grown active woman. Her Husband is strongly infected with a scrofulous disease about the extremities.
The Matilda's People who I have taken with me are.– John Marshall Chief Mate James Norris Surgeon Robert Atkinson Boatswain John Potts Carpenter John Smith 1st Boy Thomas Baillie Ditto John Smith 2nd Ab David Mouet Ab Josuah Harper Ab John Thompson Ab Samuel Dennise Ab John Hopkins Ab Stephen Legrove Ab
Two others John Witstaff and James Gilbert are entered on board the Assistant by my order to Lieut. Portlock dated the 9th April 1792.
This day every person received their allowance of liquor, & to be continued as customary.
I delivered up Captain Cook's Picture before I sailed, with a memorandum on the back, of the time of my arrival and Sailing, & the number of Plants I had got on board. It was however by mistake dated the 16th for my time of Sailing.
The People of the Matilda who have deserted from me after having made application to be taken home are:
James Connor
James Butcher
William Yaaty
John Williams
Andrew Cornelius Lind
A Person who I am informed was transported for life to Port Jackson & escaped in the Matilda, remains on the Island, but I could get no further information about him, that he was a Jew (called Samuel [P/T]ollend).
I have not entered & run the above Men on my Supernumery list as they did not appear on board, but have left letters to the Commanders of Ships who may touch here stating their situation.
This day includes 36 Hours, ending at Noon on the 19th Civil Account, when the 20th. by Log account begins in my next Log.
Ships draught of Water after the Plants were on board and hove short to the larboard Anchor
Aft 16F..9I
Forward 15 ..9
By the Stern 1 ..0
Before the Plants were taken on board the Ship was only 3 Inches by the Stern, so that the weight of them brought her down 9 Inches.
| Recapitulation of Plants | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bread Fruit | 777 | Large Pots |
| 313 | Small | |
| 35 | Tubs | |
| 26 | Boxes | |
| O,ahigh,yahs or Ay,yahs | 4 | Large Pots |
| 31 | Small Ditto | |
| 2 | Tubs | |
| Rattahs | 18 | Large Pots |
| 7 | Small Ditto | |
| Vees or Avees | 8 | Large Pots |
| 17 | Small Ditto | |
| Ettow | 2 | Large Pots |
| 4 | Small Ditto | |
| Mattee | 5 | Large Pots |
| 1 | Small Ditto | |
| Oraiahs | 10 | Large Pots |
| Peeah | 7 | Ditto Ditto |
| Vay,eehs | 2 | Ditto Ditto |
| Curiosity Plants | 2 | Large Pots |
| 8 | Small Ditto | |
| 2 | Tubs | |
| Total on board of every kind | 835 | Large Pots |
| 381 | Small ones | |
| 39 | Tubs | |
| 26 | Boxes | |
| Total Packages | 1281 | |
| Upon a moderate calculation we suppose the 1151 Vessels of Bread Fruit | ||
| to contain | 2126 | Plants |
| Vessels containing other Fruits | 472 | Ditto |
| Ditto Ditto Curiosity Plants | 36 | |
| Total of Plants on Board | 2634 | |
For a discription of Matavai Bay I refer to my account of last Voyage and my present Survey of it. Considerable information had resulted from my searching it at this time, and the dangers going into Oparre Harbour being perfectly known it can be made a place of resort for most Vessels.
On His Majesty's Service, To Lieut
Nathaniel Portlock
Sir
Being now ready for Sea and thus far the object of our Voyage fully completed; you are to proceed with me (as in all former cases) in our intended route home.
Having furnished you with a Copy of my orders, and shewn you how uncertain my route will be between this and Timor, you will readily perceive what an attention is requisite to keep company, and to observe such Signals as I may make to you.
Should accident seperate us before I reach the Friendly Islands, I shall cruize 24 Hours for you in sight of the Islands Caow and Tofoa. I shall then pass to the North of Bligh's Islands (of which you have a Map) and proceed round those I discovered off the New Hebrides, where, in Latitude of 14°..30′ I shall also cruize in sight of the Land 24 Hours. This is the last place of Rendezvous I can fix with any certainty, and you must observe to cruize 24 Hours at each place lest you may get there before me.
Coupang in Timor is the place I propose to complete my Water at. It is situated in 10°..12′S 124°..41′ East of Greenwich.
As the time of the Westerly Monsoon is advancing fast upon us, I with much concern give up the power of examining strange lands, but what will detain us. I shall therefore make the Coast of Louisiade and take the most direct and effectual means to pass on to Timor with the utmost dispatch, where you may wait for me such time as you may think advisable and do the best for His Majestys Service. I shall wait for you 8 days, and leave such directions as I may think will satisfy you how to proceed.
Herewith you are furnished with a Complete
Sett of Signals both for Ships and Boats
Given under my Hand on board His
Majestys Ship Providence in Matavai
Bay 15 July 1792.
From the result of all my observations here on the Tides, it was high Water at the full and change of the Moon at 49 Minutes past Noon. this was the mean; the extremes of which were from 0 hour..13′ to 1 hour..35′ which shows an irregularity, and when the West Winds set in it did not rise or fall above an Inch or two on the 24 Hours, whereas sometimes at the Springs with the regular trade Wind it rose 17 Inches. When I was here in 1789 I found it to be high Water at a quarter before Noon on the full and change Days, and then the greatest rise 17 Inches, but in Oparre Harbour it was high Water at one in the Afternoon and the rise and fall not exceeding 11 Inches.
Equatorial or Tropical Tides are by no means regular among Islands in this Sea or considerable in their rise and fall, but within these limits in the neighbourhood of great lands they become a necessary consideration with a Navigator. In my last Voyage, at Timor I found it high Water at full and change at ll O'Clock and the rise and fall 8 feet 8 Inches. At the height of the Springs it was 9 feet 6 Inches.
Jul 17, 1792 Home Providence Log Jul 20, 1792