♃ [Thursday] January 24th 1793 Rainy disagreable Weather and strong Puffs of Wind off the Land – The Archer Schooner sailed for Liverpool by whom we sent home Letters – Captain Bligh on shore all Night – The unsettled cloudy Weather prevented us getting any Observations to determine the Errors of the Time Keepers this Evening which is the only Time the Sun is clear of the Land, by the same rule we shall not be able to get any Meridian Altitudes – Boats hoisted in &c before Night – A few empty Casks sent on shore and filled – Moored Ship with the Stream to the Westward in 23 Fathom sand and mud ESE and WNW. Ships Draught of Water 14 Feet:10 Inches forward and 15 Feet: 4 Inches Abaft – AM. Boats hoisted out &c and employed watering, boarding all Ships coming in and going out of the Bay and other necessary Duty – Many Gentlemen from the Shore and the Ships laying here on board to see the Natives (as they called the Otaheiteans) and our Breadfruit Plants. cleaned below and aired with Fires in the Cockpits – Loosed Sails to dry, before Noon furled them unbent the Small Sails and put them away – A Party sent on shore to haul the Seine but returned with no Success, whilst another belonging to the Shore hauled at the same Time caught vast Quantities. this was owing to their Seine being much deeper than ours which would not near touch the Bottom – A Platform laid in the Launch covered with Plants and towed ashore by the Cutter & Whale boat – Mr or Doctor Anderson the Kings Botanist residing at this Place and our Botanists went on shore with them – About 11½ they returned with a Load of Plants intended for H. M. Garden at Kew which had been collected purposely for us and ready to go on board.
At Noon Frequent strong Puffs of Wind off the Land and very variable Weather but in general fair.