“But, nevertheless, if you find that you cannot procure the necessary refreshments at the said port, you are at liberty to go where you shall judge most proper; taking care, before you depart, to leave with the governor an account of your intended destination, to be delivered to me upon my arrival; and in the spring of the ensuing year, 1779, you are to repair back to the above-mentioned port, endeavouring to be there by the 10th of May, or sooner.

“If, on your arrival, you receive no orders from, or account of me, so as to justify your pursuing any other measures than what are pointed out in the before-mentioned instructions, your future proceedings are to be governed by them.

“You are also to comply with such parts of said instructions as have not been executed, and are not contrary to these orders.  And in case of your inability, by sickness or otherwise, to carry these, and the instructions of their lordships into execution, you are to be careful to leave them with the next officer in command, who is hereby required to execute them in the best manner he can.

“Given under my hand, on board the Resolution, at Ulietea, the 18th day of November 1777.

“J.  COOK.

    “To Captain Charles Clerke, Commander of his Majesty’s Sloop
    the Discovery,”

While we lay moored to the shore we heeled and scrubbed both sides of the bottoms of the ships.  At the same time we fixed some tin-plates under the binds, first taking off the old sheathing, and putting in a piece unfilled, over which the plates were nailed.  These plates I had from the ingenious Mr Pelham, secretary to the commissioners for victualling his majesty’s navy, with a view of trying whether tin would answer the same end as copper on the bottoms of ships.

On the 24th, in the morning, I was informed that a midshipman and a seaman, both belonging to the Discovery, were missing.  Soon after we learnt from the natives, that they went away in a canoe the preceding evening, and were, at this time, at the other end of the island.  As the midshipman was known to have expressed a desire to remain at these islands, it seemed pretty certain that he and his companion had gone off with this intention; and Captain Clerke set out in quest of them with two armed boats and a party of marines.  His expedition proved fruitless, for he returned in the evening, without having got any certain intelligence where they were.  From the conduct of the natives, Captain Clerke seemed to think that they intended to conceal the deserters; and, with that view, had amused him with false information the whole day, and directed him to search for them in places where they were not to be found.  The Captain judged right; for the next morning we were told that our runaways were at Otaha.  As these two were not the only persons in the ships who wished to end their days at these favourite islands, in order to put a stop to any further desertion, it was necessary to get them back at all events; and, that the natives might be convinced that I was in earnest, I resolved to go after them myself; having observed, from repeated instances, that they seldom offered to deceive me with false information.