1779- THE PACIFIC OCEAN. IS 



were of various sizes, weighing from four to twelve 

 stone.* The time of slaughtering was always in the 

 afternoon ; and as soon as the hair was scalded off, 

 and the entrails removed, the hog was divided into 

 pieces of four or eight pounds each, and the bones 

 of the legs and chine taken out ; and, in the larger 

 sort, the ribs also. Every piece then being carefully 

 wiped and examined, and the veins cleared of the 

 coagulated blood, they were handed to the salters, 

 whilst the flesh remained still warm. After they had 

 been well rubbed with salt, they were placed in a 

 heap, on a stage raised in the open air, covered with 

 planks, and pressed with the heaviest weights we 

 could lay on them. In this situation they remained 

 till the next evening, when they were again well 

 wiped and examined, and the suspicious parts taken 

 away. They were then put into a tub of strong 

 pickle, where they were always looked over once or 

 twice a day, and if any piece had not taken the salt, 

 which was readily discovered by the smell of the 

 pickle, they were immediately taken out, re-examined, 

 and the sound pieces put to fresh pickle. This, 

 however, after the precautions before used, seldom 

 happened. After six days, they were taken out, 

 examined for the last time, and being again slightly 

 pressed, they were packed in barrels, with a thin 

 layer of salt between them. I brought home with 

 me some barrels of this pork, which was pickled at 

 Owhyhee in January 1779, and was tasted by several 

 persons in England, about Christmas 1780, and found 

 perfectly sound and wholesome, t 



* u lb. 



f Since these papers were prepared for the press, 1 have been 

 informed by Mr. Vancouver, who was one of my Midshipmen in 

 the Discovery, and was afterwards appointed Lieutenant of the 

 Martin sloop of war, that he tried the method here recommended, 

 both with English and Spanish pork, during a cruize on the Spanish 

 Main, in the year 1782, and succeeded to the utmost of his ex- 

 pectations. He also made the experiment at Jamaica with the 

 beef served by the victualling office to the ships, but not with the 



