The Voyage of the Bounty to the South Sea, by Lt. William Bligh, Part 3

Good evening, and thank you for joining me for another Boring Books for Bedtime. I hope tonight's selection provides all the boredom your busy brain needs to quiet down and let you get some sleep. Before we begin, I'd like to give a special shout out of thanks to some new members of our Patreon family. Meredith Ruthann Ashley Donna April and Orion Thank you all so much for supporting this podcast. By becoming members of Patreon, you help us remain 100% listener-supported and ad-free for everyone, and it's very much appreciated. If you're interested in supporting Boring Books for Bedtime and finding out more about the perks available to subscribers, including exclusive episodes, collections, and full books found nowhere else, you'll find a link to Patreon in the show description. You'll also find a link to BuyMeACoffee.com, where you can support us with a one-time tip, no subscription required. I hope you'll take a moment to check them out. Now, let's read and relax. Find a comfortable spot. Adjust your volume. Take a nice deep breath in. Let it out slowly. And off we go. Tonight, let's continue with the record of a rather extraordinary voyage. We're reading, A voyage to the South Sea, undertaken by command of His Majesty for the purpose of conveying the breadfruit tree to the West Indies in His Majesty's ship, the Bounty, commanded by Lieutenant William Bly. including an account of the mutiny on board the said ship, and the subsequent voyage of part of the crew in the ship's boat, from Tafoa, one of the friendly islands, to Timor, a Dutch settlement in the East Indies, the whole illustrated with charts, etc. Published by permission of the Lord's Commissioners of the Admiralty, and printed in 1792 for George Nicol, bookseller to his majesty, Pall Mall, London. Let's pick up right where we left off at the beginning of Chapter 4 as the bounty departs the Cape of Good Hope. Let's begin. Chapter 4 July 1788 We lost sight of the land the day after leaving False Bay and steer towards the east-southeast, having variable winds the first week, with much thunder, lightning, and rain. The remainder of this passage, the winds were mostly between the south and west, blowing strong. There were almost every day great numbers of pintada, albatrosses, blue petrels, and other oceanic birds about us, but it was observed that if the wind came from the northward only for a few hours, the birds generally left us, and their presence again was the forerunner of a southerly wind. Sunday the 13th The variation of the compass was 30 degrees 34 minutes west, which was the greatest variation we found in this track. are latitude 36 degrees 28 minutes south and longitude 39 degrees 0 minutes east. Sunday the 20th The latitude at noon was 40 degrees 30 minutes south and longitude 60 degrees 7 minutes east. We were at this time scudding under the foresail and close-reefed main top sail, the wind blowing strong from the west. An hour after noon the gale increased and blew with so much violence that the ship was almost driven for castle under before we could get the sails clued up. As soon as the sails were taken in, we brought the ship to the wind, lowered the lower yards, and got the top gallant mass upon deck, which eased the ship very much. Monday the 21st We remained lying to till 8 the next morning, when we bore away under a reefed foresail. In the afternoon the sea ran so high that it became very unsafe to stand on. We therefore brought to the wind again, and remained lying to all night without accident, excepting that the man at the steerage was thrown over the wheel and much bruised. Tuesday the 22nd Towards noon, the violence of the storm abated, and we again bore away under the reefed foresail, our latitude at noon, 38 degrees, 49 minutes south. In the afternoon, saw some whales. We continued running to the eastward in this parallel, it being my intention to make the island St. Paul. Monday the 28th On Monday the 28th at 6 in the morning, we saw the island bearing east by north 12 leagues distant. Between 10 and 11 o'clock, we ran along the south side at about a league distant from the shore. There was a verger that covered the higher parts of the land, but I believe it was nothing more than moss, which is commonly found on the tops of most rocky islands in these latitudes. We saw several whales near the shore. The extent of this island is five miles from east to west and about two or three from north to south. As we passed the east end, we saw a remarkable high sugarloaf rock, a breast of which I have been informed is good anchorage in twenty-three fathoms, the east point bearing southwest by south by true compass. I had this information from the captain of a Dutch packet in which I returned to Europe. He likewise said there was good fresh water on the island, and a hot spring which boiled fish in as great perfection as on a fire. By his account the latitude which he observed in the road is 38 degrees, 39 minutes south, and from the anchoring place the island of Amsterdam was in sight to the northward. We had fair weather all the forenoon, but just at noon a squall came on, which was unfavorable for our observation. I had, however, two sets of double altitudes, and a good altitude exactly at noon according to the timekeeper. The result of these gave for the latitude of the center of St. Paul 38 degrees 47 minutes south. The longitude I make 77 degrees 39 minutes east. The variation of the compass, taking the mean of what it was observed to be the day before we saw the island and the day after, is 19 degrees 30 minutes west. At noon, we were three leagues past the island. We kept on towards the east-southeast, and for several days continued to see rockweed, which is remarked to be generally the case after ships pass St. Paul's, but to the westward of it, very seldom any is seen. August, Wednesday the 13th In latitude 44 degrees 16 minutes south, longitude 122 degrees 7 minutes east, I observed the variation of the compass to be 6 degrees 23 minutes west. I had no opportunity to observe it again till in the latitude of 43 degrees 56 minutes south, longitude 133 degrees 16 minutes east, when it was 1 degree 38 minutes east, so that we had passed the line of no variation. In 1780, on board the resolution in latitude 44 degrees 23 minutes south, longitude 131 degrees 28 minutes east, the variation was observed 6 degrees 0 minutes west, which is a remarkable difference. We had much bad weather with snow and hail, and in our approach to Van Diemen's land, nothing was seen to indicate the nearness of the coast, except a seal, when we were within the distance of twenty leagues. Tuesday the 19th At ten o'clock this afternoon, we saw the rock named the Mewstone that lies near the southwest cape of Van Diemen's land, bearing northeast about six leagues. The wind blew strong from the northwest. As soon as we had passed the Mewstone, we were sheltered from a very heavy sea which ran from the westward. At eight o'clock at night, we were abreast of the South Cape when the wind became light and variable. Saw several fires inland. The Mewstone is a high, bold rock that lies five leagues to the southeast of the Southwest Cape and is the part that all ships bound this way should endeavor to make. Its latitude is 43 degrees, 46 or 47 minutes Several islands lie to the northward between that and the main Among which, bearing north by west from the mewstone Is a high rock much resembling it And north-northeast from the mewstone on the mainland Is a remarkable high mountain which in this direction appears notched like a cock's comb, but as viewed from the eastward, seems round. Wednesday the 20th All the 20th we were endeavoring to get into Adventure Bay, but were prevented by variable winds. The next morning at 5 o'clock we anchored in the outer part, and at sunrise weighed again. At noon we anchored well in the bay and moored the ship. Penguin Island bearing north 57.5 degrees east, about two miles distant. Cape Frederick Henry north 23 degrees east and the mouth of the lagoon south 16 degrees east In our passage from the Cape of Good Hope the winds were mostly from the westward with very boisterous weather but one great advantage that this season of the year has over the summer months is in being free from fogs. I have already remarked that the approach of strong southerly winds is announced by many kinds of birds of the albatross or petrel tribe, and the abatement of the gale, or a shift of wind to the northward, by their keeping away. The thermometer also very quickly shows when a change of these winds may be expected, by varying sometimes six and seven degrees in its height. I have reason to believe that after we passed the island St. Paul, there was a westerly current, the ship being every day to the westward of the Reckoning, which in the whole, from St. Paul to Van Diemen's Land, made a difference of four degrees between the longitude by the Reckoning and the true longitude. Thursday the 21st The ship being moored, I went in a boat to look out for the most convenient place to wood and water at, which I found to be at the west end of the beach, for the surf, though considerable, was less there than at any other part of the bay. The water was in a gully about sixty yards from the beach. It was perfectly good, but being only a collection from the rains, the place is always dry in the summer months, for we found no water in it when I was here with Captain Cook in January 1777. We had very little success in hauling the Seine. About twenty small flounders and flat-headed fish called foxes were all that were taken. I found no signs of the natives having lately frequented this bay or of any European vessels having been here since the resolution and discovery in 1777. From some of the old trunks of trees then cut down, I saw shoots about 25 feet high and 14 inches in circumference. In the evening, I returned on board. Friday the 22nd The next morning, the 22nd at daylight, a party was sent on shore for wooding and watering under the command of Mr. Christian and the gunner, and I directed that one man should be constantly employed in washing the people's clothes. There was so much surf that the wood was obliged to be rafted off in bundles to the boat. Mr. Nelson informed me that in his walks today, he saw a tree in a very healthy state, which he measured and found to be thirty-three feet and a half in girth. Its height was proportioned to its bulk. Saturday the 23rd The surf was rather greater than yesterday, which very much interrupted our wooding and watering. Nelson today picked up a male opossum that had been recently killed or had died, for we could not perceive any wound unless it had received a blow on the back where there was a bare place about the size of a shilling. It measured 14 inches from the ears to the beginning of the tail, which was exactly the same length. Most of the forest trees were at this time shedding their bark. There are three kinds, which are distinguished from each other by their leaves, though the wood appears to be the same. Many of them are full 150 feet high, but most of those that we cut down were decayed at the heart. There are, besides the forest trees, several other kinds that are firm, good wood, and may be cut for most purposes except masts. Neither are the forest trees good for masts on account of their weight and the difficulty of finding them thoroughly sound. Mr. Nelson asserted that they shed their bark every year, and that they increase more from the seed than by suckers. I found the tide made a difference of full two feet in the height of the water in the lake at the back of the beach. At high water it was very brackish, but at low tide it was perfectly fresh to the taste, and soap showed no sign of its being the least impregnated. We had better success in fishing on board the ship than by hauling the seine on shore, for with hooks and lines a number of fine rock cod were caught. I saw today several eagles, some beautiful blue plumaged herons, and a great variety of parakeets. A few oyster catchers and gulls were generally about the beach, and in the lake a few wild ducks. Monday the 25th Being in want of plank, I directed a saw pit to be dug and employed some of the people to saw trees into plank. The greater part of this week the winds were moderate with unsettled weather. Friday the 29th On Friday it blew strong from the southwest with rain, thunder, and lightning. We continued to catch fish in sufficient quantities for everybody and had better success with the seine We were fortunate also in angling in the lake where we caught some very fine tench Some of the people felt a sickness from eating mussels that were gathered from the rocks but I believe it was occasioned by eating too many We found some spider crabs most of them not good, being the female sort and out of season. The males were tolerably good and were known by the smallness of their two foreclaws or feeders. We saw the trunk of a dead tree on which had been cut A.D. 1773. The figures were very distinct. Even the slips made with the knife were discernible. This must have been done by some of Captain Furneaux's people in March 1773, 15 years before The marks of the knife remaining so unaltered I imagine the tree must have been dead when it was cut But it served to show the durability of the wood For it was perfectly sound at this time I shot two gannets These birds were of the same size as those in England. Their color is a beautiful white, with the wings and tail dipped with jet black, and the top and back of the head a very fine yellow. Their feet were black with four claws, on each of which was a yellow line the whole length of the foot. The bill was four inches long, without nostrils, and very taper and sharp-pointed. The east side of the bay being not so thick of wood as the other parts, and the soil being good, I fixed on it, at Nelson's recommendation, as the most proper situation for planting some of the fruit trees which I had brought from the Cape of Good Hope. A circumstance much against anything succeeding here Is that in the dry season The fires made by the natives are apt to communicate to the dried grass and underwood And to spread in such a manner as to endanger everything that cannot bear a severe scorching We, however, chose what we thought the safest situations And planted three fine young apple trees nine vines, six plantain trees, a number of orange and lemon seed, cherry stones, plum, peach and apricot stones, pumpkins, also two sorts of Indian corn, and apple and pear kernels. The ground is well adapted for the trees, being of a rich, loamy nature. The spot where we made our plantation was clear of underwood, and we marked the trees that stood nearest to the different things which were planted. Nelson followed the circuit of the bay, planting in such places as appeared most eligible. I have great hopes that some of these articles will succeed. The particular situations I had described in my survey of this place but I was unfortunately prevented from bringing it home. Near the watering place likewise we planted on a flat which appeared a favorable situation some onions, cabbage roots and potatoes. For some days past a number of whales were seen in the bay. They were of the same kind as those we had generally met with before having two blowholes on the back of the head. September, Monday the 1st On the night of the 1st of September, we observed for the first time signs of the natives being in the neighborhood. Fires were seen on the lowland near Cape Frederick Henry, and at daylight we saw the natives with our glasses. As I expected they would come round to us, I remained all the forenoon near the wooding and watering parties, making observations, the morning being very favorable for that purpose. I was, however, disappointed in my conjecture, for the natives did not appear, and there was too great a surf for a boat to land on the part where we had seen them. Tuesday the 2nd The natives not coming near us, I determined to go after them, and we set out in a boat towards Cape Frederick Henry, where we arrived about eleven o'clock. I found landing impracticable, and therefore came to a grapnol, in hopes of their coming to us, for we had passed several fires. After waiting near an hour, I was surprised to see Nelson's assistant come out of the wood. He had wandered thus far in search of plants and told me that he had met with some of the natives. Soon after, we heard their voices like the cackling of geese, and twenty persons came out of the wood, twelve of whom went round to some rocks where the boat could get nearer to the shore than we then were. Those who remained behind were women. We approached within twenty yards of them but there was no possibility of landing and I could only throw to the shore tied up in paper the presents which I intended for them. I showed the different articles as I tied them up they would not untie the paper I made an appearance of leaving them They then opened the parcels and as they took the articles out placed them on their heads On seeing this, I returned towards them, when they instantly put everything out of their hands, and would not appear to take notice of anything that we had given them. After throwing a few more beads and nails on shore, I made signs for them to go to the ship, and they likewise made signs for me to land But as this could not be effected, I left them, in hopes of a nearer interview at the watering place When they first came in sight, they made a prodigious clattering in their speech and held their arms over their heads They spoke so quick that I could not catch one single word they uttered. We recollected one man whom we had formerly seen among the party of the natives that came to us in 1777, and who was particularized in the account of Captain Cook's last voyage for his humor. Some of them had a small stick, two or three feet long in their hands, but no other weapon. Their color, as Captain Cook remarks, is a dull black. Their skin is scarified about their shoulders and breast. They were of a middle stature or rather below it. One of them was distinguished by his body being colored with red ochre, but all the others were painted black with a kind of soot, which was laid on so thick over their faces and shoulders that it is difficult to say what they were like. They ran very nimbly over the rocks, had a very quick sight, and caught the small beads and nails which I threw to them with great dexterity. They talked to us sitting on their heels, with their knees close into their armpits, and were perfectly naked. In my return towards the ship, and landed at the point of the harbor near Penguin Island, and from the hills saw the water on the other side of the low isthmus of Cape Frederick Henry, which forms the bay of that name. It is very extensive, and in or near the middle of the bay there is a low island. From this spot it has the appearance of being a very good and convenient harbor. The account which I had from Brown, the botanist's assistant was that in his search for plants he had met an old man a young woman and two or three children The old man at first appeared alarmed but became familiar on being presented with a knife He nevertheless sent away the young woman who went very reluctantly He saw some miserable wigwams, in which were nothing but a few kangaroo skins spread on the ground, and a basket made of rushes. Among the wood that we cut here we found many scorpions and centipedes, with numerous black ants that were an inch long. We saw no mosquitoes, though in the summer months they are very troublesome. What is called the New Zealand tea plant grew here in great abundance, so that it was not only gathered and dried to use as tea, but made excellent brooms. It bears a small pointed leaf of a pleasant smell, and its seed is contained in a berry about the size of a pea, notched into five equal parts on the top. The soil on the west and south sides of the bay is black mold with a mixture of fine white sand and is very rich. The trees are lofty and large, and the underwood grows so close together that in many places it is impassable. The east side of the bay is a rich, loamy soil, but near the tops of the hills it's very much encumbered with stones and rocks, the underwood thinly placed and small. The trees on the south, southeast, and southwest sides of the hills grow to a larger size than those that are exposed to the opposite points, for the sides of the trees open or exposed to the north winds are naked with few branches, while the other sides are in a flourishing state. From this I do not infer that the equatorial are more hurtful than the polar winds, but that the trees, by their situation, were more sheltered from the one than from the other. Wednesday the 3rd A calm prevented our sailing today. The friendly interview which we had had with the natives made me expect that they would have paid us a visit, but we saw nothing more of them except fires in the night upon the lowland to the northward. The result of the observations which I made here, reduced to Penguin Island, place it in 43 degrees, 21 minutes, 11 seconds south latitude, and in longitude, 147 degrees, 33 minutes, 29 seconds east, which scarcely differs from the observations made in 1777. The variation of the compass observed on shore was 8 degrees 38 minutes east, and on board the ship, 8 degrees 29 minutes east. It was high water at the change of the moon at 49 minutes past 6 in the morning. The rise was 2 feet 8 inches. Southerly winds, if of any continuance, make considerable difference in the height of the tides. Thursday the 4th This forenoon, having a pleasant breeze at northwest, we weighed anchor and sailed out of Adventure Bay. At noon, the southernmost part of Maria's Isles bore north, 52 degrees east, about five leagues distant. Penguin Island, south, 86 degrees west, and Cape Frederick Henry, north, 65 degrees west. In this position, we had soundings at 57 fathoms, a sandy bottom. Latitude observed 43 degrees, 22 minutes south The southerly part of Maria's Islands Lie in latitude 43 degrees, 16 minutes south The country is not in general woody But in some of the interior parts there appeared great abundance Among these islands I have no doubt of there being many convenient places for shipping On the east side in latitude 42 degrees 42 minutes south and longitude 148 degrees 24 minutes east, in July 1789, Captain Cox of the Mercury found a convenient and a secure harbor from all winds which he named Oyster Bay. Here he found wood, water, and fish in great abundance It has two outlets and lies north, a little easterly Distant 34 miles from the southeasternmost island or point seen from Adventure Bay Adventure Bay is a convenient and safe place for any number of ships To take in wood and water during the summer months But in the winter, when the southerly winds are strong, the surf on all parts of the shore makes the landing exceedingly troublesome. The Bay of Frederick Henry may perhaps be found preferable, as it appears to be equally easy of access. The soundings in Adventure Bay are very regular. Near the west shore are some patches of weed, but no shoal or danger. the depth on them being from five to nine fathoms. Chapter 5 September 1788 Being clear of the land, we steered towards the east-southeast, it being my intention to pass to the southward of New Zealand, as I expected in that route to meet with constant westerly winds, in which, however, I was disappointed, for they proved variable and frequently from the eastward blowing strong with thick, misty weather. The thermometer varied from 41 to 46 degrees. Sunday the 14th On the 14th at noon, we were in 49 degrees 24 minutes south latitude, and in 168 degrees 3 minutes east longitude, which is on the same meridian with the south end of New Zealand. We altered our course, steering to the northward of east, and frequently saw rockweed, which I suppose to have drifted from New Zealand. The sea now became rougher from our being exposed to a long swell which came from the northeast. Friday the 19th On the 19th at daylight, we discovered a cluster of small rocky islands bearing east by north four leagues distant from us. We had seen no birds or anything to indicate the nearness of land except patches of rockweed, for which the vicinity of New Zealand sufficiently accounted. The wind being at northeast prevented our near approach to these isles, so that we were not less than three leagues distant in passing to the southward of them. The weather was too thick to see distinctly. Their extent was only three and one half miles from east to west, and about half a league from north to south. Their number, including the smaller ones, was thirteen. I could not observe any verger on any of them. There were white spots like patches of snow, but as Captain Cook, in describing the land of New Zealand near Cape South, says, In many places there are patches like white marble. It is probable that what we saw might be of the same kind as what he had observed. The westernmost of these islands is the largest. They are of sufficient height to be seen at the distance of seven leagues from a ship's deck. When the easternmost bore north, I tried for soundings, being then ten miles distant from the nearest of them, and found bottom at seventy-five fathoms of fine white sand. And again at noon, having run six leagues more to the east-southeast, we had soundings at one hundred-four fathoms of fine brimstone-colored sand. The latitude of these islands is forty degrees forty minutes south their longitude 179 degrees 7 minutes east which is about 145 leagues to the east of the Traps near the south end of New Zealand Variation of the compass here, 17 degrees east. While in sight of the islands we saw some penguins and a white kind of gull with a forked tail. Captain Cook's track in 1773 was near this spot, but he did not see the islands. He saw seals and penguins hereabouts, but considered New Zealand to be the nearest land. I have named them after the ship the Bounty Isles. Sunday the 21st This day we saw a seal, some rockweed, and a great many albatrosses. I tried for soundings but found no bottom at 230 fathoms depth. Our latitude 47 degrees 32 minutes south, longitude 182 degrees 36 minutes east. October, Thursday the 2nd were in 40 degrees 27 minutes south latitude and 214 degrees 4 minutes east longitude. It being calm and a number of small blubbers about the ship, I took up some in a bucket, but I saw no difference between them and the common blubbers in the West Indies. We frequently in the night time observed the sea to be covered with luminous spots caused by prodigious quantities of small blubbers that, from the strings which extend from them, emit a light like the blaze of a candle while the body continues perfectly dark. Friday the 3rd The 3rd in the morning we saw a seal. Captain Cook has remarked seeing seaweed when nearly in the same place. Our latitude, 40 degrees, 21 minutes south, longitude 215 degrees east. Variation of the compass, 7 degrees, 45 minutes east. Being now well to the eastward of the Society Islands, I steered more to the northward. We continued to have the southern oceanic birds accompany us and a few whales. The people caught albatrosses and fattened them in the same manner which they had done when off Cape Horn. Some of these measured near eight feet between the tips of the wings when spread. Thursday the 9th On Thursday the 9th, we had the misfortune to lose one of our seamen. James Valentine, who died in the night of an asthmatic complaint. This poor man had been one of the most robust people on board until our arrival at Adventure Bay, where he first complained of some slight indisposition for which he was bled and got better. Sometime afterwards, the arm in which he had been bled became painful and inflamed. The inflammation increased with a hollow cough and extreme difficulty of breathing to his death. Monday the 13th The 13th in the afternoon we saw two land birds, like what are called sandlarks. Our latitude at this time was 28 degrees, 3 minutes south, and longitude 223 degrees, 26 minutes east. Tuesday the 14th The next morning we saw a tropic bird and some fish. The winds were light and variable, with calms from this time to the 19th, when a breeze sprang up from the northeast, which gradually came round to the eastward and proved to be the trade wind. Our latitude on the 19th at noon was 24 degrees, 13 minutes south, longitude 222 degrees, 17 minutes east. Variation of the compass, 5 degrees, 19 minutes east. Saturday the 25th On the 25th at half-past seven in the morning, we saw the island, Mitea, called Ozenberg by Captain Wallace, who first discovered it. At noon it bore southwest by west, one-quarter west, six miles distant. Our latitude 17 degrees, 50 minutes south. Longitude 212 degrees, 24 minutes east. Variation 5 degrees east. As Captain Wallace and Captain Cook had both passed near the south side, I ran along the north side, which is remarkably steep. The island is high and round, and not more than three miles in its greatest extent. The south side, where the declivity from the hill is more gradual, is the chief place of residence of the natives. But the north side, from the very summit down to the sea, is so steep that it can afford no support to the inhabitants. We steered pretty close in to the northward of the east end, where we saw but few habitations. A very neat house on a small eminence, delightfully situated in a grove of coconut trees, particularly attracted our notice. About twenty of the natives followed us along shore, waving and showing large pieces of cloth, but the surf on the shore was too high to think of having any communication with them. I observed a great number of coconut trees but did not see one plantain tree. There were other trees but of what kind we could not distinguish. Near the east end are two remarkable rocks and a reef runs off to the eastward about half a league. The latitude of Maitea is 17 degrees 53 minutes south, and by our timekeeper its longitude is 1 degree 24 minutes east from Point Venus. Variation of the compass, 5 degrees 36 minutes east. We continued our course to the westward, and at six in the evening saw Ota Heite, bearing west, three quarters south. The island Maitea then in sight, bearing east half south, eight leagues distant. As there was great probability that we should remain a considerable time at Ota Heite, it could not be expected that the intercourse of my people with the natives should be of a very reserved nature. I therefore ordered that every person should be examined by the surgeon, and had the satisfaction to learn from his report that they were all perfectly free from any venereal complaint. Sunday the 26th On the 26th at 4 o'clock in the morning, having run 25 leagues from Maitea, we brought to till daylight, when we saw Point Venus bearing southwest by west, distant about four leagues. As we drew near, a great number of canoes came off to us. Their first inquiries were if we were Tios, which signifies friends, and whether we came from Britanni, their pronunciation of Britain, or from Lima. They were no sooner satisfied in this than they crowded on board in vast numbers, notwithstanding our endeavors to prevent it, as we were working the ship in. and in less than ten minutes the deck was so full that I could scarce find my own people. At nine in the forenoon, we were obliged to anchor in the outer part of Matavai Bay in thirteen fathoms, being prevented by light variable winds from placing the ship in a proper berth. In this station, the west part of One Tree Hill bore south by east half-east, one mile distant. This passage of 52 days from Van Diemen's land may be rated as moderate sailing. We passed New Zealand with the spring equinox, and the winds, though strong, were at no time violent. To the southward of 40 degrees, zero minutes south, they were variable. Between the latitudes of 40 and 33 degrees south, the wind kept in the northwest quarter. Afterwards, till we got into the trade, the winds were variable, mostly from the eastward, but light and inclinable to calms. The ship was 3 degrees 22 minutes in longitude to the eastward of the dead reckoning, which the timekeeper almost invariably proved to be owing to a current giving us more easting than the log. Our track was as distant from any course of former ships as I could conveniently make it, and though we made no new discoveries, except the small cluster of islands near New Zealand, Yet in other parts of the track, as has been noticed, we met with signs of being in the neighborhood of land. It may not be unworthy of remark that the whole distance which the ship had run by the log, in direct and contrary courses, from leaving England to our anchoring at Ota Heite, was 27,086 miles, which, on an average, is at the rate of 108 miles each 24 hours. And with the end of Chapter 5 and our arrival at Otoheite, I think we'll end this evening's reading From a Voyage to the South Sea by Lieutenant William Bly, which, unless I'm mistaken, is about to get rather more interesting than it has been to date, but we'll save that for next time. If you'd like to read this work for yourself, as always, you'll find a link to a free e-book from Project Gutenberg in the show description. If you'd like to connect, suggest a boring book you'd like to hear read, or request more from one we've already started, you can drop me an email via our website, www.boringbookspod.com. It's always a pleasure to hear from you. Thank you so much for joining me for this evening's reading. Until our next boring book, good night. Thank you.