Jun 2, 1792 Home Providence Log Jun 4, 1792
Revised Aug 26 2021
Light Winds at Night, but strong WSW Winds during the Day.
Mustered the Ships Company and saw them all clean dressed. Read the Articles of War and Abstract. Performed Divine Service, and gave leave to a party to go on shore.
Got a Moderate supply of Tarro and Breadfruit, a sufficiency of Hogs, Cocoa Nutts and Vees.
Tynah and his Wives as usual dined with me to day. He took an opportunity to sollicit the attendance of the Surgeon on his Youngest Chile Oro,oh (see 8th May), who he said was very ill. We found it under the care of an Old Man, for what is strange, Women are not permitted to be attendants on any of the Royal Family, so that Male or Female, the Children are unnaturally nursed by Men. The Complaints of the Child was said to be in his bowels, the belly was much distended; but the Scorfula [scrofula] seemed the most alarming symptom, for in one groin it had broke out, & in the other were swellings which convinced us of the deploreable state this poor infant was in. I told Iddeeah to take better care of her Chile, and altho I disputed the propriety, she insisted that Whyerreddee's attention should be engaged towards it & not particularly hers. It is not extraordinary that Tynah is not remarkably fond of his Children, for he is in some degree weaned from them, by the accursed Custom of their becoming superior in rank. On that account no one approaches them but the Mother to give them suck, and the Man who is the Nurse. The Moments therefore that the paternal feelings would be delighted with the little tricks of its offspring, and view with pleasure the infant progress of the mind, are here lost to the Father. When he sees or speaks to his Child it is at a distance of ten or fifteen Yards, and the Man who brings it is often cautioned not to come too near, thus untill the Children become Men and Women, and He has performed the Ceremony of Oamo (See 20th and 27th April [27th May]) do they mix together like other people.
It is happily different with the lower order of the People. The Father and Mother have mostly their flock of little Children about them, they nurse them with great care and tenderness, and receive returns of Affection and respect. In short no Parents can regard or attend on their Children more than they do, and but few more engaging and pretty Children are to be met with, could we divest ourselves of the dislike of the Colour.
Jun 2, 1792 Home Providence Log Jun 4, 1792