^254 VOYAGE IN SEARCH 



growing near the middle of the mountain, the 

 fecond that I had met with in this ifland. I 

 took from it three fuckers which I depofited in 

 a box where I cultivated the bread-fruit plants 

 that I had procured at the Friendly Iflands. 

 The leaves were divided lefs deeply than thofe 

 of the latter. Perhaps they do not produce 

 fuch excellent fruit; but from the care the in- 

 habitants took of that which I had obferved in 

 a village to the fouth-eaft of our fliips, I have 

 no doubt that they fet a great value on this ve- 

 getable ; it was planted in an excellent foil, and 

 furrounded by very firong palifades. Neither of 

 thefe trees then bore fruit; they were adorned 

 only with a great many male flowers. 



We had already got to a confiderable height 

 in the niountains, when fom.e of our people 

 thought proper to fire off their mufl^ets in the air 

 in order to difcharge them before they returned 

 on board. The noife of thefe fmall arms made 

 us refol\e immediately to dircc't our fteps to- 

 wards tiycm, under the apprchcnfion that they 

 "Were involved in fome quarrel with the fa- 

 vafjes. 



Night was coming on ; we got into the boat 

 to ."o on board our Ihio, but the wind blew fo 

 ffronfr at eafi fouth-call, and the current was 

 fo rapid, that we were carried forc'l^ly ro the 

 weftward. We had even much difficulty to 



reach 



