PACIFIC AND BEERING’S STRAIT, 
227 
Europeans strove as much as was in their power to alleviate these dis- CHAP, 
tresses ; but the natives were so improvident and careless that the , 
medicine often did them harm rather than good, and many preferred April, 
their own simple pharmacopoeia, and thus fell victims to their ignorance. 
Our own ship’s company improved upon the abundance of fish and 
vegetable diet ; but from what afterwards occurred, I am disposed to 
think the change from their former food, to so much vegetable substance 
was very injurious. Kegard to this subject ought not to be overlooked 
in vessels circumstanced as the Blossom was. 
The winds during our stay were principally from the eastward, 
freshening in the forenoon and moderating toward sun-set to a calm, 
or giving place to a light breeze off the land, which sometimes prevailed 
through the night. 'I'his effect upon the trade-wind, by comparatively 
so small a tract of coast, shows the powerful influence of the land upon 
the atmosphere. 
In the height of summer, or during the rainy season, the winds fly 
round to the W. and N, W. and blow in gales or hard squalls, which it 
is necessary to guard against in anchoring upon the north-western coast, 
particularly at Matavai Bay, which is quite open to those quarters. The 
mean temperature of the atmosphere during our stay was 79° 98', the 
minimum 75°, and maximum 87°. 
The many excellent ports in Otaheite have been enumerated by 
Captain Cook, though he only made use of one, Matavai Bay, and that 
which was most exposed ; in consequence, probably, of the facility of put- 
ting to sea. Those on the north-western coast are the most frequented, 
as some difficulty of getting out and in attends most of the others, par- 
ticularly those in the south-western side of the island, which are sub- 
ject to a constant heavy swell from the higher latitudes, and in the 
long calms that prevail under the lee of the island, are apt to endanger 
Vessels approaching the reefs. Of the four on the north-western coast, 
viz. Matavai, Papawa, Toanoa, and Papiete, the last is the most 
common anchorage, and were it not that it is subject to long calms 
and very hot weather, in consequence of being more to leeward than 
the others, it would certainly be the best. Toanoa is very small, but 
conveniently adapted to the refit of one or tw'o ships. The best pert 
G G 2 
