On the 23d, we had very heavy rain, with a storm of wind that blew down several trees on shore, though very little of it was felt where the ship lay.

The next day, I sent the old man, who had been of great service to the gunner at the market-tent, another iron pot, some hatchets and bills, and a piece of cloth.  I also sent the queen two turkies, two geese, three Guinea hens, a cat big with kitten, some china, looking-glasses, glass-bottles, shirts, needles, thread, cloth, ribbands, pease, some small white kidney beans, called callivances, and about sixteen different sorts of garden seeds, and a shovel, besides a considerable quantity of cutlery wares, consisting of knives, scissars, billhooks, and other things.  We had already planted several sorts of the garden seeds, and some pease in several places, and had the pleasure to see them come up in a very flourishing state, yet there were no remains of them when Captain Cook left the island.  I sent her also two iron pots, and a few spoons.  In return for these things, the gunner brought off eighteen hogs, and some fruit.

In the morning of the 25th, I ordered Mr Gore, one of the mates, with all the marines, forty seamen, and four midshipmen, to go up the valley by the river as high as they could, and examine the soil and produce of the country, noting the trees and plants which they should find, and when they saw any stream from the mountains, to trace it to its source, and observe whether it was tinctured with any mineral or ore.  I cautioned them also to keep continually upon their guard against the natives, and directed them to make a fire, as a signal, if they should be attacked.  At the same time I took a guard on shore, and erected a tent on a point of land, to observe an eclipse of the sun, which, the morning being very clear, was done with great accuracy.

Hours.  Min.  Sec. 
The immersion began, by true time, at—­ 6      51   50
The emersion, by true time, was at- — — 8       1    O
The duration of the eclipse was- — — —  1       9   10

The latitude of the point, on which the observation was made, was 17 deg. 30’S., the sun’s declination was 19 deg. 40’N., and the variation of the needle 5 deg. 36’ E.

After the observation was taken, I went to the queen’s house, and shewed her the telescope, which was a reflector.  After she had admired its structure, I endeavoured to make her comprehend its use, and fixing it so as to command several distant objects, with which she was well acquainted, but which could not be distinguished with the naked eye, I made her look through it.  As soon as she saw them, she started back with astonishment, and, directing her eye as the glass was pointed, stood some time motionless and silent; she then looked through the glass again, and again sought in vain, with the naked eye, for the objects which it discovered.  As they by turns vanished and re-appeared, her countenance and gestures expressed a mixture of wonder and delight