The Spaniard was immediately
examined as to the produce and circumstances of this island of Tinian,
and his account of it surpassed even our most sanguine hopes, for he
informed us that it was uninhabited, which, in our present defenceless
condition, was an advantage not to be despised, especially as it wanted
but few of the conveniences that could be expected in the most cultivated
country; for he assured us that there was great plenty of very good
water, and that there were an incredible number of cattle, hogs, and
poultry, running wild on the island, all of them excellent in their kind;
that the woods produced sweet and sour oranges, limes, lemons, and
cocoa-nuts in great plenty, besides a fruit peculiar to these islands
(called by Dampier breadfruit); that, from the quantity and goodness of
the provisions produced here, the Spaniards at Guam made use of it as a
store for supplying the garrison; that he himself was a sergeant of that
garrison, and was sent here with twenty-two Indians to jerk beef, which
he was to load for Guam on board a small bark of about fifteen tons which
lay at anchor near the shore.
PLEASING SCENES.
This account was received by us with inexpressible joy. Part of it we
were ourselves able to verify on the spot, as we were by this time near
enough to discover several numerous herds of cattle feeding in different
places of the island, and we did not anyways doubt the rest of his
relation, as the appearance of the shore prejudiced us greatly in its
favour, and made us hope that not only our necessities might be there
fully relieved and our diseased recovered, but that amidst those pleasing
scenes which were then in view, we might procure ourselves some amusement
and relaxation after the numerous fatigues we had undergone.
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