1769. ROUND THE WORLD. I7I 



of bread-fruit, we were told, that the produce of the 

 last season was nearly exhausted ; and that what was 

 seen spioutingupon the trees, would not be fit to use 

 in less than three months : this accounted for our 

 having been able to procure so little of it in our 

 route. 



While the bread-fruit is ripening upon the flats, 

 the inhabitants are supplied in some measure from 

 the trees which they have planted upon the hills to 

 preserve a succession ; but the quantity is not suf- 

 ficient to prevent scarcity : they live therefore upon 

 the sour paste, which they call Mahie^ upon wild 

 plantains, and ahee-nuts, which at this time are in 

 perfection. How it happened that the Dolphin, 

 which was here at this season, found such plenty of 

 bread-fruit upon the trees I cannot tell, except the 

 season in which they ripen varies. 



At our return, our Indian friends crowded about 

 us, and none of them came empty-handed. Though 

 T had determined to restore the canoes which had 

 been detained to their owners, it had not yet been 

 done ; but I now released them as they were applied 

 for. Upon this occasion L could not bat remark with 

 concern, that these people were capable of practising 

 petty frauds against each other, with a deliberate 

 dishonesty, which gave me a much worse opinion of 

 them than I had ever entertained from the robberies 

 they committed, under the strong temptation to 

 which a sudden opportunity of enriching themselves 

 with the inestimable metal and manufactures of 

 Europe exposed them. 



Among others who applied to me for the release of 

 a canoe, was one Potattow, a man of some conse- 

 quence, well known to us all. I consented, suppos- 

 ing the vessel to be his own, or that he applied on 

 the behalf of a friend : he went immediately to the 

 beach, and took possession of one of the boats, which, 

 with the assistance of his people, he began to carry 

 off. Upon this, however, it was eagerly claimed by 



