fficers, were on board the
Sirius for this very purpose; a ceremony which I believe is
seldom neglected. When the officer returned, he brought a very
polite reply from the governor, signifying his sincere wishes
that the island might be capable of supplying us with such
articles as we were in want of, and his assurances that every
refreshment the place afforded we should certainly have. Captain
Phillip then waited on the governor, accompanied by Major Ross,
myself, and several other officers; we were most politely
received by him, and he repeated his hope that Teneriffe might
afford every refreshment which we had occasion for.

Two days after this visit, the governor, who was then the
Marquis Branceforte, and captain-general of the whole of the
Canary Islands, notwithstanding he had the day before returned
Captain Phillip's visit by an officer, came on board himself,
attended by several officers. He remained about an hour on board,
and asked many questions respecting the extent of our voyage, and
situation of the place where we were going to settle, all of
which we explained to him by a general chart of the world. A day
or two after this visit, Captain Phillip received an invitation
to dine with him, and to bring as many of the principal officers
as could be spared from the ships: we waited on him in a party
about twelve, and were very hospitably and politely entertained;
in short, on the whole, I never met with so polite and so
pleasant a man in any foreign port I have ever visited.

During the time we lay in this road, the ships companies, the
marines, and convicts, were every day supplied with fresh
provisions, of which there appeared to be great abundance on the
island: vegetables and fruit were at this time scarce; potatoes,
onions, and pumpkins _only_ were to be had, and those but in
small quantities. It was Captain Phillip's intention, when we
arrived here, to have remained only three or four days, but we
found that the watering of the ships was a business which could
not be completed in so short a time. During our stay, the
watering the ships was our principal consideration, and it was
often unavoidable to be employed in this necessary business on
board the transports after dark; the watering-place being only
contrived to load two boats at a time.

A convict one evening, while every body was employed in
clearing a boat of water, contrived to slip into a small boat,
and dropt away from the ship unperceived;