THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 535 



The current which I have mentioned, as fettino; to the ^ ^77^; 



" December. 



Eallward, had now ceafed ; for we gained but little by ply- « ^ / 



ing. On the 6th, in the evening, being about five leagues Sund.iys. 

 farther up the coaft, and near the fhore, we had fome traffic 

 with the natives. But, as it had furniflied only a trifling 

 fupply, I flood in again the next morning, when we had a Monday 7. 

 confiderable number of vifiiers ; and we lay to, trading with 

 them till two in the afternoon. By that time, we had 

 procured pork, fruit, and roots, fufficient for four or five 

 days. We then made fail, and continued to ply to wind- 

 ward. 



Having procured a quantity of fugar cane ; and having, 

 upon a trial, made but a few days before, found that a 

 flrong decoiflion of it produced a very palatable beer, I or- 

 dered fome more to be brewed, for our general ufc. But 

 when the cafk was now broached, not one of my crew 

 would even fo much as tafle it. As I had no motive in 

 preparing this beverage, but to fave our fpirit for a colder 

 climate, I gave myfelf no trouble, either by exerting autho- 

 rity, or by having recourfe to perfuafion, to prevail upon 

 them to drink it ; knowing that there was no danger of the 

 fcurvy, fo long as we could get a plentiful fupply of other 

 vegetables. But, that I might not be difappointed in my 

 views, I gave orders that no grog fliould be ferved in either 

 Ihip. I myfelf, and the officers, continued to make ufe of 

 this fugar-cane beer, whenever we could get materials for 

 brewing it. A few hops, of which we had fome on board, 

 improved it much. It has the tafte of new malt beer j and I 

 believe no one will doubt of its being very wholefome. And 

 yet my inconfiderate crew alleged that it was injurious to 

 their health. 



They 



