A Voyage to the South Sea | Page 4

service, and fitted with
proper conveniences and necessaries for the preservation of as many of
the said trees as, from her size, can be taken on board her; and you have
been directed to receive on board her the two gardeners named in the
margin, David Nelson, and William Brown, who, from their knowledge
of trees and plants, have been hired for the purpose of selecting such as
shall appear to be of a proper species and size:
You are, therefore, in pursuance of his majesty's pleasure, signified to
us by Lord Sydney, one of his principal secretaries of state, hereby
required and directed to put to sea in the vessel you command, the first
favourable opportunity of wind and weather, and proceed with her, as
expeditiously as possible, round Cape Horn, to the Society Islands,
situate in the Southern ocean, in the latitude of about eighteen degrees
south, and longitude of about two hundred and ten degrees east from
Greenwich, where, according to the accounts given by the late Captain
Cook, and persons who accompanied him during his voyages, the
breadfruit tree is to be found in the most luxuriant state.
Having arrived at the above-mentioned islands, and taken on board as
many trees and plants as may be thought necessary (the better to enable
you to do which, you have already been furnished with such articles of
merchandise and trinkets as it is supposed will be wanted to satisfy the
natives) you are to proceed from thence through Endeavour Straits
(which separate New Holland from New Guinea) to Prince's Island in
the Straits of Sunda, or, if it should happen to be more convenient, to
pass on the eastern side of Java to some port on the north side of that
island, where any breadfruit trees which may have been injured, or
have died, may be replaced by mangosteens, duriens, jacks, nancas,
lanfas, and other fine fruit trees of that quarter, as well as the rice plant
which grows upon dry land; all of which species (or such of them as
shall be judged most eligible) you are to purchase on the best terms you

can from the inhabitants of that island with the ducats with which you
have also been furnished for that purpose; taking care however, if the
rice plants above-mentioned cannot be procured at Java, to touch at
Prince's Island for them, where they are regularly cultivated.
From Prince's Island, or the Island of Java, you are to proceed round
the Cape of Good Hope to the West Indies (calling on your way thither
at any places which may be thought necessary) and deposit one half of
such of the above-mentioned trees and plants as may be then alive at
his majesty's botanical garden at St. Vincent, for the benefit of the
Windward Islands, and then go on to Jamaica: and, having delivered
the remainder to Mr. East, or such person or persons as may be
authorised by the governor and council of that island to receive them,
refreshed your people, and received on board such provisions and
stores as may be necessary for the voyage, make the best of your way
back to England; repairing to Spithead, and sending to our secretary an
account of your arrival and proceedings.
And whereas you will receive herewith a copy of the instructions which
have been given to the above-mentioned gardeners for their guidance,
as well as in procuring the said trees and plants, and the management of
them after they shall be put on board, as for bringing to England a
small sample of each species, and such others as may be prepared by
the superintendent of the botanical garden at St. Vincent's, and by the
said Mr. East, or others, for his majesty's garden at Kew; you are
hereby required and directed to afford, and to give directions to your
officers and company to afford, the said gardeners every possible aid
and assistance, not only in the collecting of the said trees and plants at
the places before mentioned, but for their preservation during their
conveyance to the places of their destination.
Given under our hands the 20th November 1787.
HOWE, CHARLES BRETT, RD. HOPKINS, J. LEVESON GOWER.
To Lieutenant William Bligh, commanding his majesty's armed vessel
the Bounty at Spithead.

By command of their Lordships,
P. STEPHENS.
...
In the foregoing orders it is to be observed that I was particularly
directed to proceed round Cape Horn but, as the season was so far
advanced and we were so long detained by contrary winds, I made
application to the Admiralty for discretional orders on that point; to
which I received the following answer:
BY THE COMMISSIONERS FOR EXECUTING THE OFFICE OF
LORD HIGH ADMIRAL OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND,
ETC. ETC.
The season of the year