PORTER’S JOURNAL. 
143 
hands. ' Should lieutenant Gamble arrive safe, I shall hope to 
have it in my power to add them to another edition, and supply 
the places of the charts and drawings, of which 1 have been ungene¬ 
rously deprived by the enemy. 
I also gave Mr. King orders to proceed to the United States 
with the New Zealander, and prepared to sail with the Essex and 
Essex Junior, with a full supply of provisions, leaving an abun¬ 
dance for nine months on board the prizes. 
Massachusetts Bay is one of the finest in the world: it af¬ 
fords safe anchorage, good shelter and landing; convenient wa¬ 
tering places, abundance of refreshments, and a welcome and hos¬ 
pitable reception from the natives. It is easy of egress, and not 
more difficult of access than would be desirable, on account of its 
defence: light and baffling winds generally make it necessary that 
large ships should warp into the harbour. It is every where, free 
from danger; may be easily defended; and you may choose your 
depth of water, from four to thirty fathoms, clean, sandy bottom. 
On leaving this place I had no sick on board my ship; my 
crew had never appeared at any time in better health. I had as 
yet met with only one case of the scurvy among my men, and this 
was so extraordinary that I cannot help noticing it. It did not ap¬ 
pear until a few days before my departure from the island, and al¬ 
though the man had been employed and slept on shore during the 
whole of my stay, had the most abundant supply of vegetables 
and fruit, and had not, during the time, ate one meal of salt pro¬ 
visions, still he was so much afflicted with the disease, that I found 
it necessary to leave him there with scarcely a hope that he will 
recover. 
This man was about forty years of age, of slender make, 
and apparently of a lethargic melancholy disposition: he partook 
of none of the amusements of the rest of the crew, and probably 
this disposition might have first laid the foundation of a disease 
which lay Jurking in the system, and for the want of a proper 
stimulus to the mind, at length shot forth with so much vigour. 
Shortly after leaving the port, a circumstance took place, 
which caused me much sorrow. The Otaheitan I had on board 
had received a blow from the boatswain’s mate, t;he first probably 
which he had ever received, as his gentle disposition, his activity, 
