FL1162676

Remarks & I Ulietea
1769
August

of this Island into one of them Intended to go with the ship in order to stop
a Leak in the powder room which could not be easily done at Sea & to take in
more Ballast as I found her too light to carry sail upon a wind. at Noon plying
off one of the Harbours mouth the wind being right out

Wednesday 2 Mod. breezes at SE & East with some Showers of Rain at
3pm Anchor'd in the Entrance of the Channell leading into the Harbour
in 14 fam Water found a tide setting pretty strong out which was the
reason that we could not work in, carried out the Thedge Anchor in order
to wasp into the Harbour but after this was done we could not Trip the
Bower Anchor with all the [indecipherable] we could make & was therefore
obliged to lay still all night but in the morning we did it with Ease of
[indecipherable] the Ship into a proper birth & moor'd in 28 fam a sandy bottom A
great number of Natives came off to us both last night & this mornig
& brought with them Hogs, Fowls. Plantains [indecipherable], which they parted with
at a very easy rate.

Thursday 3 Winds from ESE to [indecipherable]. very Hot weather this afternoon
I went ashore to look for a place to get stones, for Ballast & a watering place
both of which I found very convenient & in the morning sent an Officer
aShore to Superintend the getting of the Ballast & Water & I went in
the Pinnace to the Northward to survey that part of the Island accompa
nied by M Banks & D Solander while the Carpenters were Employ'd
onboard stopping the Leakes of the Powder room, & [indecipherable] sail room

Friday 4th First [indecipherable]. 4moderate breezes at ENE in the night Calm
Hot & Sultry in our rout to the Northward this afternoon we were Enter-
-tain'd at one place with the Musick & Dancing the Musick consisted of 3
Drums & the Dancing was mostly performed by 2 young Women & one
Man & this seem'd to be thier profession, the dress of the women was such
as we had not seen before, it was neat decent & well chose & in many respects
not much unlike a European dress, only their Arms Necks & Shoulders
were bare & their head dress was the [indecipherable] stuck with Flowers. they
made very little use of their feet & legs in Dancing but one part or a
nother of their bodies were in continual motion & in Various[indecipherable]
as standing setting & upon their Hands and Knees making strange
Contorsions their Arms, handers & Fingers they moved with great
Agility & in a very Extraordinarly manner & [indecipherable] they were very
exact in observing the same motion in all their movements yet