A Voyage to the South Sea | Page 9

the
governor, and a clergyman attends them every evening. By this humane
institution a number of people are rendered useful and industrious in a
country where the poor, from the indulgence of the climate, are too apt
to prefer a life of inactivity, though attended with wretchedness, to
obtaining the comforts of life by industry and labour.
The number of inhabitants in the island I was informed were estimated
at between eighty and one hundred thousand. Their annual export of
wine is twenty thousand pipes and of brandy half that quantity. Vessels
are frequently here from St. Eustatia, and from thence a great quantity
of Tenerife wine is carried to the different parts of the West Indies,
under the name of Madeira.
Tenerife is considered of more value than all the other Canaries: the
inhabitants however, in scarce seasons, receive supplies from the Grand
Canary; but their vineyards here are said to be greatly superior. Their
produce of corn, though exceedingly good, is not sufficient for their

consumption; and owing to this the Americans have an advantageous
trade here for their flour and grain, and take wine in return.
The town of Santa Cruz is about half a mile in extent each way, built in
a regular manner, and the houses in general large and airy, but the
streets are very ill paved. I am told that they are subject to few diseases;
but if any epidemic distemper breaks out it is attended with the most
fatal consequences, particularly the smallpox, the bad effects of which
they now endeavour to counteract by inoculation. For this reason they
are very circumspect in admitting ships to have communication with
the shore without bills of health.
A sloop from London, called the Chance, William Meridith, master,
bound to Barbados, out nineteen days from the Downs, came into the
road the day before we sailed. She had suffered much by the bad
weather but, having brought no bill of health, the governor would not
allow any person to come on shore unless I could vouch for them that
no epidemic disease raged in England at the time they sailed, which I
was able to do, it being nearly at the same time that I left the land; and
by that means they had the governor's permission to receive the
supplies they wanted without being obliged to perform quarantine.
Thursday 10.
Having finished our business at Tenerife on Thursday the 10th we
sailed with the wind at south-east, our ship's company all in good
health and spirits.
I now divided the people into three watches, and gave the charge of the
third watch to Mr. Fletcher Christian, one of the mates. I have always
considered this as a desirable regulation when circumstances will admit
of it on many accounts; and am persuaded that unbroken rest not only
contributes much towards the health of a ship's company but enables
them more readily to exert themselves in cases of sudden emergency.
As it was my wish to proceed to Otaheite without stopping I ordered
everybody to be at two-thirds allowance of bread: I also directed the
water for drinking to be filtered though dripstones that I had bought at

Tenerife for that purpose.
In the evening we passed the south end of Tenerife which is a round
lump of land that, from the lowness of the contiguous land, has at a
distance the appearance of a separate island. By our run from the bay of
Santa Cruz I make the latitude of the south end of Tenerife to be 28
degrees 6 minutes north.
We ran all night towards the south-south-west having the wind at
south-east. The next morning we could see nothing of the land. I now
made the ship's company acquainted with the intent of the voyage and,
having been permitted to hold out this encouragement to them, I gave
assurances of the certainty of promotion to everyone whose endeavours
should merit it.
The winds for some days after leaving Tenerife were mostly from the
southward. Fishing-lines and tackle were distributed amongst the
people and some dolphins were caught.
Thursday 17.
On the 17th the wind came round to the north-east and continued
steady in that quarter till the 25th on which day at noon we were in 3
degrees 54 minutes north. As the cloudiness of the sky gave us reason
to expect much rain we prepared the awnings with hoses for the
convenience of saving water, in which we were not disappointed. From
this time to our meeting with the south-east tradewind we had much
wet weather, the air close and sultry with calms, and light variable
winds generally from the southward.
Tuesday 29.
On the 29th there was so heavy a fall of rain that we caught seven
hundred gallons of water.
Thursday 31.