1791.

[Received 29th June and read.]

SIR,

Be pleased to acquaint My Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty that I
sailed from Teneriff with His Majesty's Ship _Pandora_ on the afternoon
of the 25th November, agreeable to my intentions signified to their
Lordships by letter from that island, and anchored off the city Rio
Janeiro on the evening of the 31st of December with a view to compleat my
water and to get refreshments for the ship's company and from my being
persuaded that very long runs, particularly with new ships' companies,
are prejudicial to health, and as my men are of that description, and
have also suffered in their health from a fever which has prevailed
amongst them in a greater or less degree ever since they left England,
were other inducements for my touching at this port. I shall stay here no
longer than is absolutely necessary to procure these articles, and which
I expect to be able to accomplish by the seventh of this month, and I
shall then proceed on my voyage as soon as wind and weather will permit.

Herewith I send the state and condition of His Majesty's Ship _Pandora_,
and I have the honour to be, Sir,

Your most obedient and humble servant,
EDW. EDWARDS."

"Batavia, the 25th November, 1791.
29th May, 1792.
From Amsterdam.

SIR,

In a letter dated the 6th day of January, 1791, which I did myself the
honour to address to you from Rio Janeiro I gave an account of my
proceedings up to that time and inclosed the state and condition of His
Majesty's Ship _Pandora_ under my command, and having compleated the
water and procured such articles of provision, etc., for the use of the
Ship's Company as they were in want of and I thought necessary for the
voyage, I sailed from that port on the 8th January, 1791, run along the
coast of America, Tierra Del Fuego, Hatin Land, round Cape Horn and
proceeded directly to Otaheite, and arrived at Matavy Bay in that Island
on the 23rd March without having touched in any other place in my passage
thither.

It was my intention to have put into New Year's harbour, or some other
port in its neighbourhood to complete our water and to refresh my people,
could I have effected that business within the month of January; but as I
arrived too late on that coast to fulfil my intentions within the time,
it determined me to push forward without delay, by which means I
flattered myself I might avoid that extreme bad weather and all the evil
consequences that are u