.

Wednesday, 12th. Variable, light Airs all these 24 Hours, and Hot sultry
weather. At 5 p.m. King George's Island extending from North-West by West
to South-West, distance 6 or 7 Leagues; and at 6 a.m. it bore from
South-South-West to West by North, being little wind with Calms. Several
of the Natives came off to us in their Canoes, but more to look at us
than anything else. We could not prevail with any of them to come on
board, and some would not come near the ship. Wind variable; course West;
distance 18 miles; latitude 17 degrees 38 minutes South, longitude 148
degrees 58 minutes West; at noon, King George's Island, from South to
West by North, 5 leagues.

Thursday, 13th. The first part Cloudy and Squally, with Showers of rain;
remainder, genteel breezes and clear weather. At 4 p.m. the North-East
point of Royal Bay West 1/2 North; run under an easy sail all night, and
had soundings from 22 to 12 fathoms 2 or 3 Miles from the Shore. At 5
a.m. made sail for the bay, and at 7 anchored in 13 fathoms.* (* Matavai
Bay.) At this time we had but very few men upon the sick list, and these
had but slite complaints. The Ship's company had in general been very
healthy, owing in a great measure to the Sour kroutt, Portable Soup and
Malt; the two first were served to the People, the one on Beef Days and
the other on Banyan Days. Wort was made of the Malt, and at the
discretion of the Surgeon given to every man that had the least simptoms
of Scurvy upon him. By this means, and the Care and Vigilance of Mr.
Monkhouse, the Surgeon, this disease was prevented from getting a footing
in the Ship. The Sour Kroutt, the Men at first would not eat it, until I
put it in practice--a method I never once Knew to fail with seamen--and
this was to have some of it dressed every day for the Cabin Table, and
permitted all the Officers, without exception, to make use of it, and
left it to the Option of the men either to take as much as they pleased
or none at all; but this practice was not continued above a Week before I
found it necessary to put every one on board to an allowance; for such
are the Tempers and disposition of Seamen in general that whatever you
give them out of the common way--altho' it be ever so much for their
good--it will not go down, and you will hear nothing but murmurings
against the Man that first invented it; but the moment they see their
superiors set a value upon it, it becomes the finest stuff in the world
and the inv