Friday, 16th; Saturday, 17th.—Variable winds, with Showers of rain and Cloudy weather.
Sunday, 18th.—Variable winds and Clear weather. This Night was observed the Moon totally Eclipsed.
Monday, 19th.—Punished James Tunley with 12 lashes for taking Rum out of the Cask on the Quarter Deck.
Tuesday, 20th.—Got all the Powder aShore to Air, all of which we found in a bad Condition, and the Gunner informs me that it was very little better when it came first on board. Last Night Obariea made us a visit, whom we have not seen for some time. We were told of her coming, and that she would bring with her some of the Stol'n things, which we gave Credit to because we know'd several of them were in her possession; but we were surprised to find this Woman put herself wholy in our power, and not bring with her one Article of what we had lost. The Excuse she made was that her Gallant, a man that used to be along with her, did Steal them, and she had beat him and turned him away, but she was so Sencible of her own Guilt that she was ready to drop down through fear, and yet she had resolution Enough to insist upon Sleeping in Mr. Banks's Tent all Night, and was with difficulty prevailed upon to go to her canoe, altho' no one took the least notice of her. In the morning she brought her Canoe, with everything she had, to the Gate of the Fort, after which we could not help admiring her for her Courage and the Confidence she seem'd to place in us, and thought that we could do no less than to receive her into favour, and except the Present she had brought us, which consisted of a Hog, a Dog, some Bread Fruit and Plantains.
We refused to Except of the Dog, as being an Animal we had no use for; at which she seemed a little surprised, and told us it was very good eating, and we very soon had an opportunity to find that it was so, for Mr. Banks, having bought a Basket of Fruit in which was the Thigh of a Dog ready dressed, of this several of us tasted, and found that it was Meat not to be despised, and therefore took Obariea's Dog and had him immediately dressed by some of the Natives in the following manner:—They first made a hole in the Ground about a foot Deep, in which they made a fire and heated some small Stones. While this was doing the Dog was strangled and the hair got off by laying him frequently on the fire, and as clean as if it had been scalded off with hot water. His Intrails was taken out, and the whole washed Clean, and as soon as the Stones and Hole was sufficiently heated the fire was put out and part of the Stones were left in the bottom of the hole. Upon these stones were laid green leafs, and upon them the Dog, together with the Intrails, these were likewise covered with leaves, and over them hot stones; and then the hole was close cover'd with mould.
