t 7 6 AVOYAGETO 



»77?- by the foul ground in Karakakooa Bay, and whilfl wc were 

 at anchor ofF Oncchcow, that we were obliged to cut forty 

 fathoms from it ; in converting of which, with other old 

 cordage, into fpun-yarn, and applying it to different ufes, 

 a considerable part of the people were kept conftantly em- 

 ployed by the boatfwain. The airing of fails and other 

 ftores, which, from the leakinefs of the decks and fides of 

 the fhips, were perpetually fubject to be wet, had now be- 

 come a frequent as well as a laborious and troublefome part 

 of our duty. 



Befides thefe cares, which had regard only to the mips 

 themfelves, there were others, which had for their object 

 the prefervation of the health of the crews, that furnifhed a 

 conflant occupation to a great number of our hands. The 

 Handing orders, eftablifhed by Captain Cook, of airing the 

 bedding, placing fires between decks, wa filing them with 

 vinegar, and fmoking them with gunpowder, were ob- 

 ferved without any intermiffion. For fome time part, even 

 the operation of mending the failors old jackets had rifen 

 into a duty both of difficulty and importance. It may be 

 neceflary to inform thofe who are unacquainted with the 

 difpofition and habits of feamen, that they arc fo accuf- 

 tomed in mips of war to be directed in the care of them- 

 felves by their officers, that they lofe the very idea of fore- 

 fight, and contract the thoughtlcfTncfs of infants. I am 

 fure, that if our people had been left to their own discre- 

 tion alone, we mould have had the whole crew naked, be- 

 fore the voyage had been half finiflicd. It was natural to 

 expect, that their experience, during our voyage to the 

 North la ft year, would have made them fcnfiblc of the ne- 

 cellity of paying feme attention to thefe matters ; but if 

 l'uch reflections ever occurred to them, their imprcflion was 



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