THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 129 



We flayed here till the eveninG;, when, havin? loaded the „ '777- 



^ <^ c> February. 



reft of the boats with grafs, celery, fcurvy-grafs, &c. we *■ 

 embarked to return to the fliips. We had prevailed upon 

 Pedro to launch his canoe, and accompany us ; but we had 

 fcarcely put off from the fhore, when the wind began to blow 

 very hard at North Weft, which obliged him to put back. 

 We proceeded ourfelves, but it was with a good deal of dif- 

 ficulty that we could reach the fliips ; where fome of the 

 boats did not arrive till one o'clock the next morning; and Monday 17: 

 it was fortunate that they got on board then, for it after- 

 ward blew a perfetft florm, with abundance of rain, fo that 

 no manner of work could go forward that day. In the 

 evening the gale ceafed, and the wind having veered to the 

 Eaft, brought with it fair weather. 



The next day we refumed our works ; the natives ven- Tuefdayis. 

 tured out to catch fifli ; and Pedro, with all his family, came 

 and took up hi§ abode near us. This Chief's proper name 

 is Matahouah ; the other being given him by fome of my 

 people during my lafl Voyage, which I did not know till 

 now. He was, however, equally well known amongfl his 

 countrymen by both names. 



On the 20th, in the forenoon, we had another florm from Thurfday2o4 

 the North Weft. Though this was not of fo long continu- 

 ance as the former, the gufts of wind from the hills were 

 far more violent, infomuch that we were obliged to ftrike 

 the yards and top-mafts to the very utmofl ; and, even with 

 all this precaution, it was with difSculty that we rode it 

 out. Thefe florms are very frequent here, and fometimes 

 violent and troublefome. The neighbouring mountains, 

 which at thefe times are always loaded with vapours, not 

 only increafe the force of the wind, but alter its direcTiion in 



Vol. I. . K.. S fucli 



