stock-broker, No. 12, Copthall Court, near the Bank,—bis residence No. 2, Stebon Place, Mile End, and that his Portrait, in the frontispiece to this volume, is an excellent likeness.

London, August 1827.

JOHN MARTIN.

ACCOUNT

OF THE

TONGA ISLANDS.

CHAPTER I.

ON Tuesday, February 12th, 1805, at eleven o'clock a. m. the Port au Prince weighed anchor at Gravesend, made sail, and worked down the river. At twelve p.m. she came to an anchor at the Warp. The following day she weighed anchor again, passed through the Downs with a fair wind, and, sailing down the Channel, proceeded on her intended voyage. No circumstances worth mentioning occurred during several weeks. The wind continued fair, but variable. On the 20th of March, in the afternoon, the mizen-mast gave way, by the jerk of a swell, and was found much decayed under the copper, in the way of the mizen-gaff: this damage, however, by the next day, was completely repaired. On her arrival (April 9th) in lat. 21. 55. S. long. 38. 38. W. a very heavy gale came The foretopsail-yard, being now discovered to be rotten in the slings, was sent down and re

on.

placed by a new one. The gale continued to increase, and, from three to five in the morning, continual flashes of lightning came on from different quarters, with loud and repeated claps of thunder, succeeded by very heavy rains.

From this period till the time of her arrival off the river of Plate, the weather was changeable, and for the most part stormy. On the 6th of May she commenced her cruize in this river. Nothing particular, however, occurred for several days, except the loss of a boy, who accidentally fell overboard, and was drowned, in spite of every exertion made to save him. On the 13th, being off the island of Lobos, a boat was sent on shore to reconnoitre. In the evening she returned, without having discovered any inhabitants; a number of seals, however, were seen, and proper apparatus for skinning them, which, in all probability, had been used by persons from the mainland, in the habit of resorting to this island for the express purpose of procuring seal-skins.

On Tuesday the 14th, two boats were sent on shore to the high land above Maldonado, to reconnoitre and kill wild cattle, which were seen in abundance. The vessel in the mean time plied in a bay under the high land. The boats returned next morning at eight o'clock, with one bull, not having been able to kill more, on account of the storminess of the weather, which rendered them too wild. The crew were detained on shore much longer than they otherwise would have been, in consequence of the desertion of two men, who had been left to take care of the boats; and after a search of several hours, without effect, they were under the necessity of returning without them.

About three hours after their arrival on board, the two men in question were seen on the beach, making signals to be brought off, which being done, they were seized up, and received a dozen lashes each. Their object was to have gone over to Maldonado; but a river lying in the way, one of them not being a swimmer, and the other unwilling to proceed by himself, they thought proper

to return.

On the 18th, finding it impossible to remain in the river, owing partly to the strong flood, and partly to contrary winds, she stood out of the river, and bore away on her voyage. The next day, very heavy gales coming on, she was found to make much water from a leak supposed to be on the larboard bow, near the surface of the water. The Falkland Islands appeared within sight, on Friday the 31st; a few days after which, the weather becoming calm, with a smooth sea, the carpenter was let down over the larboard bow, to nail lead and canvas over a cracked plank, now discovered to be the source of the leak.

Monday the 17th of June, Cape Horn bore W. by S. four leagues. The weather was very snowy. The leak still continued. On Wednesday the 26th, Gilbert's Island bore N. five leagues. From this place she took a fresh departure.

On Wednesday, the 3d of July, having doubled the cape, she fell in with the Earl St Vincent, Captain Pinkum, a South whaler, homeward bound, by whom she despatched letters for England. She received, at the same time, from on board this vessel, Thomas Turner, harpooner, concerning whom it may be interesting to state a few particulars. He went out at first on board a

placed by a new one. The gale continued to increase, and, from three to five in the morning, continual flashes of lightning came on from different quarters, with loud and repeated claps of thunder, succeeded by very heavy rains.

From this period till the time of her arrival off the river of Plate, the weather was changeable, and for the most part stormy. On the 6th of May she commenced her cruize in this river. Nothing particular, however, occurred for several days, except the loss of a boy, who accidentally fell overboard, and was drowned, in spite of every exertion made to save him. On the 13th, being off the island of Lobos, a boat was sent on shore to reconnoitre. In the evening she returned, without having discovered any inhabitants; a number of seals, however, were seen, and proper apparatus for skinning them, which, in all probability, had been used by persons from the mainland, in the habit of resorting to this island for the express purpose of procuring seal-skins.

On Tuesday the 14th, two boats were sent on shore to the high land above Maldonado, to reconnoitre and kill wild cattle, which were seen in abundance. The vessel in the mean time plied in a bay under the high land. The boats returned next morning at eight o'clock, with one bull, not having been able to kill more, on account of the storminess of the weather, which rendered them too wild. The crew were detained on shore much longer than they otherwise would have been, in consequence of the desertion of two men, who had been left to take care of the boats; and after a search of several hours, without effect, they were under the necessity of returning without them.