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[Joseph Coleman was Armourer aboard the Bounty and was tried for mutiny, but acquitted]
the Armorer
to
Mr. Hamson
Our Islands in the West Indies are frequently visited with such dreadful Storms, or Hurricans (as they are commonly call'd) as to destroy, not only their trading Effects & Merchandize, but also their Ground Provisions particularly, Plantains, on which the slaves chiefly subsist and before any Provisions for their Relief can arrive from America on which is their chief Dependance, they often lose thousands of Negroes by Famine; to prevent as much as possible these dreadful Consequences, Government have lately turn'd their Thoughts to the procuring something which might serve as a Succedaneum for Bread. The tree known by the Name of the Bread Fruit which flourishes in many of the Islands in the South Seas has been propos'd by Sir Joseph Banks, President of the Royal Society, as most elegible for that purpose, as it thrives amazingly without any Culture, As I have not yet seen any of this Fruit, I cannot from my own knowledge speak of its Properties, but for Particulars beg leave to refer you to Cap't Cookes Voyages. To carry a proper Number of the Suckers of this tree from Otaheite to some of our West India Islands, is the Intent of the Voyage in Question, and it is presum'd that they will come to perfection there, particularly at St Vincents & Jamaica, as their Situation on the North side of the Equinoctial Line is nearly analagous to that of Otaheite on the South Side of it. I believe we shall return to England about June 1790. So much by way of Digression; I now return to our Proceedings.
Dec. 23./87 we sailed from Spithead and on the 28th were saluted with a most tremendous Gale of Wind which however we weather'd without sustaining any very considerable Damage, and arriv'd at Teneriffe one of the Canary Islands on the 6th of Jan. 1788: this is a Spanish Port and is chiefly famous for a high Mountain call'd the Pic or Peak, whose Altitude is calculated by Dr Heberden to be more than 15000 feet Perpendicular. There we took on a quantity of Wine & sailed again on the 10th, being bless'd with good Winds & favourable Weather, we cross'd the Equator, or Equinoctial Line on the 6th of February with usual Ceremonies of Shaving and Ablution performed on