In the Sandwich islands.

The breadfruit trees are planted, and flourish with great luxuriance, on rising grounds.  Where the hills rise almost perpendicularly in a great variety of peaked forms, their steep sides and the deep chasms between them are covered with trees, amongst which those of the breadfruit were observed particularly to abound.  Volume 3 pages 105 and 114, containing Captain King’s Narrative.

The climate of the Sandwich Islands differs very little from that of the West India Islands, which lie in the same latitude.  Upon the whole perhaps it may be rather more temperate.  Captain King ib page 116.

The breadfruit trees thrive in these islands, not in such abundance, but produce double the quantity of fruit they do on the rich plains of Otaheite.  The trees are nearly of the same height, but the branches begin to strike out from the trunk much lower, and with greater luxuriance.  Captain King ib page 120.

CHAPTER 2.

Departure from England.  Arrival at Tenerife.  Sail from thence.  Arrival off Cape Horn.  Severity of the Weather.  Obliged to bear away for the Cape of Good Hope.

1787.  December.  Sunday 23.

On Sunday morning the 23rd of December 1787 we sailed from Spithead and, passing through the Needles, directed our course down channel with a fresh gale of wind at east.  In the afternoon one of the seamen, in furling the main-top-gallant-sail, fell off the yard and was so fortunate as to save himself by catching hold of the main-top-mast-stay in his fall.  At night the wind increased to a strong gale with a heavy sea.

Tuesday 25.

It moderated however on the 25th and allowed us to keep our Christmas with cheerfulness; but the following day it blew a severe storm of wind from the eastward, which continued till the 29th, in the course of which we suffered greatly.  One sea broke away the spare yards and spars out of the starboard main chains.  Another heavy sea broke into the ship and stove all the boats.  Several casks of beer that had been lashed upon deck were broke loose and washed overboard, and it was not without great difficulty and risk that we were able to secure the boats from being washed away entirely.

Saturday 29.

On the 29th we were in latitude 39 degrees 35 minutes north and longitude 14 degrees 26 minutes west when the gale abated and the weather became fair.  Besides other mischief done to us by the storm, a large quantity of our bread was damaged and rendered useless, for the sea had stove in our stern and filled the cabin with water.  From this time to our arrival at Tenerife we had moderate weather and winds mostly from the northward.

1788.  January.

January 4.

This forenoon we spoke a French ship bound to the Mauritius.

Saturday 5.  Tenerife.