^94 cook's FIRST VOYAGE NOV. 



the causes of their being so ill served ; the women 

 were there own property, and the tenderness of the 

 sex, even here, made them good nurses. While 

 these preparations were making, they received an 

 account of the death of Tupia, who sunk at once 

 after the loss of the boy, whom he loved with the 

 tenderness of a parent. 



By the 14th, the bottom of the ship was thoroughly 

 repaired, and very much to my satisfaction; it would, 

 indeed, be injustice to the officers and workmen of 

 this yard, not to declare that, in my opinion, there is 

 not a marine yard in the world, where a ship can be 

 laid down with more convenience, safety, and dis- 

 patch, nor repaired with more diligence and skill. 

 At this place they heave down by two masts, a 

 method which we do not now practise ; it is, how- 

 ever, unquestionably more safe and expeditious to 

 heave down with two masts than one, and he must 

 have a good share of bigotry to old customs, and an 

 equal want of common sense, who will not allow this, 

 after seeing with what facility the Dutch heave down 

 their largest ships at this place. 



Mr. Banks and Dr. Solander recovered slowly at 

 their country-house, which was not only open to the 

 sea breeze, but situated upon a running stream, which 

 greatly contributed to the circulation of the air: but 

 I was now taken ill myself; Mr. Sporing, and a sea- 

 man who had attended Mr. Banks, were also seized 

 with intermittents; and indeed there was not more 

 than ten of the whole ship's company that were able 

 to do duty. 



We proceeded however in rigging the ship, and 

 getting w r ater and stores aboard: the water we were 

 obliged to procure from Batavia, at the rate of six 

 shillings and eight-pence a leager, or one hundred 

 and fifty gallons. 



About the 26th, the westerly monsoon set in, 

 which generally blows here in the night from the 



