Oct. 24, 1788
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Logbook Remarks GM
Oct. 26, 1788
Revised Jun 8 2021
1:00 pm Fair Weather and a pleasant Trade. Under all Sails.
7:00 pm In Main Top Mast & Top Gallant Steering Sails.
10:00 pm I left orders after running 35 Miles to Steer West for the Island Maitea.
8:00 am At ½ past 7 Saw Maitea bearing WSW 10 or 11 leagues. Served Barley & Portable Soup for breakfast. Decoction of Malt to the Invalids. Elixir Vitrol to all hands. Cleaned below & got the Cables bent & Anchors ready.
12:00 pm Fine Weather and hazy with a very pleasant Trade. The Center of Maitea Island SWBW¼W 6 Miles Measured distance.
The Winds of Yesterday & to day have been the first settled Trade we have met with, which I may count from the latitude of 19°30′S. The Island Maitea, which was called Oznaburg Island by Captain Wallis who first saw it, I determined to look at, as it lay in my way, & having had very satisfactory Observations to determine my longitude I could not suppose myself above a quarter of a degree wrong and concluded I should certainly meet with it in the Mornoing which I did. As Captain Wallis and Captain Cook had both passed on the South Side of it I determined to go on the North. It is a high round Island as described by Captain Cook and I beleive as he remarks that three Miles is its greatest circuit. It has a small slope of land from the South side of the Hill, which is the place of residence of the Natives, but on the North side, from the very summit to the Water side is so remarkably Steep, that scarce anything grows on it or affords any support to the Inhabitants. I steered pretty close to the North of the East End. I saw three dwellings and about 20 Natives who followed us along shore waving and showing large pieces of Cloth, but as I saw a very high surf runing on the shore and no prospect of any communication with them, I was obliged very reluctantly to quit them. I saw a great number of Cocoa Nutt Trees, but not one Plantation, there were other Trees but it was impossible to say of what kind. Off the East End are two remarkable Rocks and on an eminence a very pleasant dwelling amidst many Cocoa Nut Trees. A reef spits off about one or two Mile.
To insure my getting into Matavai to morrow I could not think of remaining any longer here than 10 O'Clock, altho I left it with regret as the Natives seem very desirous to have an intercourse with us. They appear to be the same people as the Otaheitans, and Cloth the same also their dwellings.
The Sick list to day the same as before but very much better. The Surgeon also came upon Deck and was sober, but very weak from the extraordinary manner he has kept himself this Week past. His paralytic disorder has been perfectly cured in 48 hours by giving him no Spirits to make use of, and only a little Wine and water.
As I have some reason to suppose the Otaheitans have not been visited by any ships since Captain Cook, I hope they may have found means together with their natural way of living, to have eradicated the Venereal disease. To prove this and free us from any ill founded Suppositions, that we might renew the Complaint, I have directed the Surgeon to examine very particularly every Man and Officer & to report to me his proceedings.
This was accordingly done and he reported every person totally free from the Venereal complaint.
Oct. 24, 1788
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Logbook Remarks GM
Oct. 26, 1788