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Fateful Voyage

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Revised Aug 28 2021

Portlock's Assistant Logbook May 3-8, 1792

Remarks on board His Majestys Brig Assistant

Moored in Matavie Bay Otaheite

May 1792

Thursday 3  All this day Light Variable winds Calms & fine Weather PM Cast off the seizings of the Futtock Shrouds & Cathairpin legs & Employed seizing them afresh rigging the Fore yard & otherways repairing the defects of the rigging Rove new Fore Lifts Carpenter caulkig the side AM Employed as before Received Water per Cutter ... Very few Natives Trading alongside

Friday 4  All this day Light winds Calms & open Cloudy Weather PM Swayed up the Fore yard & Employed blacking Ditto & the Top Sparing down & [?] the Fore rigging & repairing the defects of Ditto Carpenter caulking the Quick work .. Two Officers from the Ships being upon as rout up the Country Lost their Jackets & a Pair of Pistols by the Indian to whom they had Entrusted them to carry leaping down some very high Precipaces where they could not follow AM Employed rattling down the Fore Rigging & Overhauling & Repairing the Rigging of the Jib boom & Bowsprit Carpenter as before Sever Natives off Trading

Saturday 5  All this day Fine Clear Weather First & Middle parts Light Winds Latter Moderate breezes PM Employed Rattling down the Fore Rigging Blacking the Bowsprit Spritsail yard &c and Tarring & repairing the Rigging of Ditto Rove New Bowsprit Man ropes AM People Employed Washing & mending their Cloaths .. Received Water per Cutter .. Cleaned below .. Several Canoes alongside

Sunday 6  All this day Moderate breezes & fine Weather PM People Employed as before A few Natives off Trading

Monday 7  All this day Light Variable winds & fine Weather AM Took up the Small bower Anchor to put another Buoy on it the other having sunk .. Found the Cable much rubed about 10 Fathoms from the Anchor Sent a boat to sound where the Anchor lay but found no Rocks Sent the Providence & our Cutter to Sweep Swept & caught a large Tree Towed it well out of the Bay & let it go again. This Tree lay directly in the direction with our Cable therefore the Cable must have been Rubed by it ... Very few Natives alongside

Tuesday 8  All this day Ditto Weather PM Wormed the Cable where it was Rubed & let go the Anchor in 14 Fathoms Water The reef of Point Venus bearing N32W Single Tree on Ditto N30E One Tree Hill S21W & Oparre Point S60W & Moored as before AM Got the Main Top Gallant mast on deck Employed Taring & repairing the Rigging of Ditto Sailmakers repairing & Middle Stitching a Top Sail Carpenter Caulking the Quick Work


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