PACIFIC AND BEERING'S STRAIT. 275 



lowed as much as they could consume, by which chap. 

 necessary piece of economy we saved during our *— - ,— ' 

 stay about 2,000 pounds of flour, the most valuable a 5s26.' 

 article of sea store ; a measure which subsequently 

 proved of the utmost importance to us. I do not 

 think that this fruit, though very delicious and 

 more farinaceous than potatoes, is a satisfactory 

 substitute for bread, but it is by no means a bad 

 one. 



Foreseeing the possibility of being obliged to 

 cure our own meat, we fortunately provided a quan- 

 tity of salt for that purpose at Chili, an article which 

 we found very scarce at Otaheite ; and the consul 

 made arrangements for salting both beef and pork 

 for our future use, which succeeded uncommonly 

 well ; and he materially forwarded the object of our 

 voyage by exerting himself to satisfy all our de- 

 mands, so far as the resources of the island would 

 admit. Before our arrival articles of food were 

 sufficiently cheap ; but the great demand which we 

 occasioned materially enhanced their prices, and 

 there appeared to be a great dislike to competition. 

 The resources of the island, fruit excepted, are con- 

 siderably diminished from what they formerly were, 

 notwithstanding the population at one time ex- 

 ceeded its present amount twenty-fold. 



On the day appointed for the visit of the royal 

 party, the duty of the ship was suspended, and we 

 were kept in expectation of their arrival until four 

 o'clock in the afternoon, when I had the honour of 

 receiving a note, couched in affectionate terms, from 

 the queen regent, to whom, as well as to her sub- 

 jects, the loss of time appears to be immaterial, 

 stating her inability to fulfil her engagement, but 



t 2 



