in the Pacific Ocean. 



59 



their huts, where hogs, dogs, fowls, jackasses, men, women, 

 and children, were grouped together, and from whence, in a 

 few minutes, I was always glad to make my escape, on account 

 of the innumerable swarms of fleas with which they were in- 

 fested. The house of the governor was no more exempt from 

 this plague than those of the plebeians, of which his wife and 

 naked children bore innumerable testimonies, in the large red 

 blotches on their necks and bodies. 



The men of this place seem to be of the lowest class of those 

 who call themselves civilized ; and the v/omen, although of fine, 

 forms, animated, cheerful, and handsome countenances, are des- 

 titute of all that dehcacy, the possession of which only can render 

 the female lovely in our eyes. The inhabitants, finding that I 

 had some presents to dispose of, came flocking to the governor's, 

 some with a nosegay, some with a pair of fowls, a half dozen of 

 eggs, a few oranges, watermelons, goats, or whatever else they 

 considered most likely to extort from me something of value. 

 Having soon got clear of the articles I had taken with me, which 

 consisted of silk shawls, &c., and having nothing else to dispose 

 of, I was compelled to leave them, in the expectation of my re- 

 turning with a larger supply. 



Our wooding and watering went on briskly, and every thing 

 promised a speedy supply to all our wants, except vegetables. 

 On our first arrival boats had come off" to the ship ; but the go- 

 vernor, finding by the purser'*s remaining in town he could mo- 

 nopolize the whole trade, forbade every person selling any article 

 whatever, and placed guards at the river's mouth to prevent 

 boats from coming off* to us. Hearing nothing of the purser for 

 two or three days, and not knowing the cause of the boats keep- 

 ing aloof from us, I had some serious apprehensions for his 

 safety. This fear was somewhat increased by the disappearance 

 of one of my prisoners, the mate of a ship, whose absence could 

 not be accounted for in any other way but on the supposition of 

 his being murdered by the natives, for the few dollars he had 

 taken with him on shore, for the purpose of procuring a few 

 articles for the others. He had been permitted to go on parole, 

 and had left on board a considerable sum of money, as well as 

 clothing and other property, and his not returning at the ap- 

 pointed time, caused considerable suspicion to all. 



On the morning of the 24th we discovered three square rigged 

 vessels standing into the bay. They continued to approach to 

 the distance of five or six miles of us, when the headmost vessel 

 hove to. On nearer approach she showed the private signal of 

 the Georgiana, and shortly afterwards Lieutenant Downes came 

 on board the Essex. 



