Joseph Banks - Endeavour Journal, 25 August 1768 - 12 July 1771 - No. 0320
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[Page 320]
Otahite
June 1769
much cloudy as clear weather which makes us all not a little anxious for success of the in consequence of hints from Lord Morton the Captn resolves to send a party to the eastward, & another to Imáo an Island in sight of us thinking that in case of thick weather one or the other might be more successfull than the observatory The Carpenters work very hard to finish the long boat I resolve to go on the Imáo expedition
1st. The boat could not be got ready till after dinner when we set out we rowd most of the night and came to a grapling just under the Land of Imáo
[In margin] Imao
2d . Soon after day break we saw an Indian canoe & upon hailing her she shewed us an inlet through the reef into we pulld & soon fixd upon a Coral rock about 150 yards from the shore as a very proper situation for our Observatory it was about 80 yards long & 60 broad & had in the middle of it a bed of white sand large enough for our tents to stand upon The 2nd Lieutant & people therefore immediately set about it while I went upon the main Island to trade with the people inhabitants for provisions of which I soon bought a sufficient supply before night our observatory was in order telescopes all set up & tried &c. & we went to rest anxious for the events of tomorrow the evening having been very fine gave us however great hopes of success
3d. Various were the Changes observd in the weather during the course of last night some one or other of us was up every half hour who constantly informd the rest that it was either clear or Hazey at day break we rose