Apr 8, 1792 Home Flinders's Log Apr 10-15, 1792
Revised Sep 16 2021
1 pm: Moderate Breezes and fine Weather
2 pm: Making all Sail for the Island
4 pm: At 4 The Body of the Island Maitea bore South distant 1½ Mile – On seeing some Canoes coming towards the Ship ½ past 4 Shortened Sail and ove to for them. Sent the Jolly Boat on board the Assistant for Mr. Portlock, of five Canoes that came off, three came alongside with Cocoa Nutts and Bread-fruit. At 6 Mr. Portlock went on board the Canoes left us and we bore away, made all Sail – The Island bearing East about 6 Miles – ½ past 9 Strong Breezes – In Steering Sails and 1st and 2nd Reefs
12 mid: Strong Breezes and squally with heavy rain – ½ past Clewed up the topsails – in 3rd Reef Fore and Main and Handed the Mizen topsail
4 am: Fresh Breezes and fair Weather At Day break Saw the Island of Otaheite on the Larboard Bow to the Beam – Squally Weather with heavy Rain – Unstowed the Anchors, the three topsails set
7 am: At 7 Fresh Breezes & thick Squally Weather – The Extremeties of the North side of the Island WbS and SSE½E – The Peninsula South – ½ past 8 bore up and made Sail – round Head one Tree Hill SbE – Hauled up for Matabai Bay. at ½ past 11 Came to with Best Bower in 9 Fathom – Handed Sails & hoisted out the Boats – Many Canoes and an English Whale boat alongside. Ship full of Natives – A Cask of Spruce Beer broached.
12 noon: Fresh Breezes and fair Weather
The Assistant at Anchor in shore of us
The Examination on the 8th might possibly be not very agreable to the Parties concerned, yet it was certainly done with a good Intention and will free us from any Share of the Guilt attending the Communication of the Venereal Disease to this modern Cyprus – and as a further Preventative against that and many other Inconveniences those Orders I have mentioned were given out and are as follow —
Rules to be observed by every Person on board or belonging to H. M. Ship Providence for the better establishing a Trade for Provisions and good Intercourse with the Natives of the South Sea Islands, wherever the Ship may be at —
1st. At the Society or Friendly Islands no seaman or Officer is ever to speak of the Loss of the Bounty, or that Captain Cook was killed by Indians —
2nd. No man or Officer is ever to speak or give the least hint that we have come on Purpose for the bread-fruit plant —
3rd. Every Person is to study to gain the good will & esteem of the Natives, & treat them with all kindness
and not to recover by violent means any thing that may have been stolen from them, but to acquaint me* with it —
* Captain Bligh
4th. Every Person employed on any Service whatever is to take Care that no Arms or Implements of any kind under his Charge are stolen, the Value of any such being lost, shall be charged against his Wages, besides a severe punishment for his Neglect —
5th. No Man is to embezzle or offer to sale, directly or indirectly, any Part of the Kings Stores, of any kind whatever —
6th. A proper Person or Persons will be appointed to regulate Trade and barter with the Natives & no Officer or Seaman or other Person belonging to the Ship shall trade or offer to trade for any kind of Provision or Curiosities without my Leave —
7th. The Mate of the Watch will be answerable for all Neglect of the Centinels and he is to see that they do not lounge or sit down —
8th. No Canoe is to come on board after eight at Night, and on no Pretence whatever is a Canoe to be under the Bows, or any thing to be handed in or out but at the Gangways —
9th. All Boats when moored, to have every thing handed out of them, at Sun down —
10th. The Awnings to be always set at Sun rise, & furled at Sun-sett wet or dry except the After one – But they are occasionally to be spread or furled in variable Weather in the day times as Circumstances will allow, the object in this being to keep them from rotting and tearing to peices —
11th. Every Night the Tarpaulins are to be ready for the Hatchways and Care taken that no Wet gets below —
12th. The Officers of the Watch on any Pretence whatever are not to get into Conversation with the Indians, but to be cautiously upon the look-out, lest the Indians draw their Attention from their Duty and commit some violence or Theft —
13th. All Boats are to be moored alongside & to have sternfasts and a Boat keeper in each – If it is found necessary to veer a Boat astern, two Men must be kept in her —
14th. Any Person having the Venereal Disease on him & is found to have Connection with the Women shall receive a very exemplary Punishment —
15th. No Curiosities are to be kept between Decks —
16th. No Person whatever is to take fire Arms with him on shore at Otaheite untill he has my Permission —
Lastly – Any transgression to the foregoing Orders, will be punished with the utmost Severity – a total Loss of my good wishes towards the offender the remainder of the Voyage & be publickly noted as such –
The Island of Maitea is very small, the principal part of it being one high round Mountain which may be seen at a
considerable Distance – its appearance when distant 7 or 8 Leagues was nearly this –
The Sides of the Mountain appeared to be fruitfull except the Northside which breaks off abruptly and is washed by
the Sea – Breakers extend out a considerable Distance on the South Eastern side — We made the Body of the
Island in Latitude 17°.55′ South and Longitude 212°.00′ East of Greenwich –
Apr 8, 1792 Home Flinders's Log Apr 10-15, 1792