THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 197 



asainft : and however confident we maybe of the heahh '778. 



o ' ■' January. 



of our men, we are often undeceived too late. It is even > — -» — -/ 

 a matter of doubt with me, if it be always in the power of 

 the moft fldlful of the faculty to pronounce, with any cer- 

 tainty, whether a perfon who has been under their care, in 

 certain ftages of this malady, is fo cfTcctually cured, as to 

 leave no pollibility of his being Hill capable of communi- 

 cating the taint. 1 think I could mention fomc inftances 

 which juflify my prefuniing to hazard this opinion. It is, 

 likewife, well known, that, amongft a number of men, 

 there are, generally, to be found fome fo bafliful as to en- 

 deavour to conceal their labouring under any fympcoms of 

 this diforder. And there are others, again, fo profligate, as 

 not to care to whom they communicate it. Of this laft, we 

 had an inftance at Tongataboo, in the gunner of the Difco- 

 very, who had been ftationed on fhore to manage the trade 

 for that fliip. After he knew that he had contracted this 

 difeafe, he continued to have connections with different 

 women, who were fuppofed not to have already contracffed 

 it. His companions expoftulated with him without effect:; 

 till Captain Gierke, hearing of this dangerous irregularity 

 of condudl, ordered him on board. 



While the boats were occupied in examining the coafl, 

 we ftood on and off with the Ihips, waiting for their return. 

 About noon, Mr. Williamfon came back, and reported, that 

 he had feen a large pond behind a beach near one of the 

 villages, which the natives told him contained frefh water j 

 and that there was anchoring-ground before it. He alfo 

 reported, that he had attempted to land in another place, 

 but was prevented by the natives, who, coming down to 

 the boats in great numbers, attempted to take av/ay the 

 oars, mufkets, and, in Ihort, every thing that they could 



lay 



