Thursday 19.

This evening Mr. Samwel my clerk returned from an excursion to the mountains, having been two days absent.  He described the hills to be well clothed with wood, except the tops of the higher mountains which only produced bushes and fern.  The birds he saw were blue parakeets and green doves, except one which he found burrowing in the ground and brought to me.  This bird was about the size of a pigeon, and proved to be a white-bellied petrel of the same kind as those seen in high latitudes, which are called shearwaters.  He likewise brought a branch of a plant like the New Zealand tea-plant, and which at Van Diemen’s land we had made use of for brooms.  From the hills he saw the islands Maitea and Huaheine, which are situated nearly in opposite directions from Otaheite and are 70 leagues distant from each other.

Friday 27.

For some days past Tinah had been busied in getting two parais, or mourning-dresses, made, which he intended as a present to King George.  Being finished they were this morning hung up in his house as a public exhibition, and a long prayer made on the occasion, the substance of which was that the King of England might forever remain his friend and not forget him.  When he presented the parais for me to take on board he could not refrain from shedding tears.  During the short remainder of our stay here there appeared among the natives an evident degree of sorrow that we were so soon to leave them, which they showed by unusual kindness and attention.

We began this afternoon to remove the plants to the ship.  They were in excellent order:  the roots had appeared through the bottom of the pots and would have shot into the ground if care had not been taken to prevent it.

The weather was considerably altered for the better and the tradewind appeared settled.  The rainy and bad season of the year may be reckoned to begin towards the end of November and to continue till near the end of March.  During this time the winds are variable and often westerly, though we seldom found them to blow strong in that direction.  We likewise experienced frequent intervals of fine weather; but during these months so open a road as Matavai bay is not a safe anchoring-place for ships that intend remaining any length of time at Otaheite.

Tuesday 31.

Today all the plants were on board, being in 774 pots, 39 tubs, and 24 boxes.  The number of breadfruit plants were 1015, besides which we had collected a number of other plants.  The avee, which is one of the finest-flavoured fruits in the world.  The ayyah, which is a fruit not so rich but of a fine flavour and very refreshing.  The rattah, not much unlike a chestnut, which grows on a large tree in great quantities:  they are singly in large pods from one to two inches broad, and may be eaten raw or boiled in the same manner as Windsor beans, and so dressed are equally good.  The oraiah, which is a very superior kind of plantain.  All these I was particularly recommended to collect by my worthy friend, Sir Joseph Banks.  I had also taken on board some plants of the ettow and matte, with which the natives here make a beautiful red colour; and a root called peeah, of which they make an excellent pudding.