THERE are three classes of readers. 1. The first class are those who wish to find in a work the union of the agreeable with the useful. For this clafs of readers the prefent work is attempted to be formed. 2. The second clafs are those who seek only for what is profitable. This class may select from the table of contents such information only as they wish. 3. The third and more numerous clafs of readers are those who devour in a few hours a whole work, and digeft no part of it; who read merely for the sake of faying they are not ignorant of the contents of any popular work. This class of readers will find their account answered by reading the abridged view of this book in the table of contents, which, to tell the truth, was not defigned for them, but to refresh the memory of the first clafs of readers. As the narrative of the voyage of Captain BLIGH to the south feas, for the purpose of conveying the BREAD VOL. II. 3 P TREE TREE to the West Indies, and his fufferings and prefervation, are very interesting, and appertain to the subject of this section, it is prefumed, that a detail of them will not be found unacceptable to that clafs of readers for whom this work is compiled. They are therefore recorded at greater length than the two latter claffes will approve of; but to these our apology is presented in our analytical table of contents. CAPTAIN BLIGH'S NARRATIVE. THE king having been graciously pleased to comply with a request from the merchants and planters interested in his Majesty's Weft-India poffeffions, that the BREAD-FRUIT TREE* might be introduced into those * In the Society Islands the BREAD-FRUIT grows on a tree that is the fize of a middling oak; its leaves are frequently about a foot and a half long, of an oblong shape, deeply finuated like thofe of the fig tree, which they refemble in colour, and in the exuding of a white milky juice upon being broken. The fruit is about the fize and shape of a child's head. The eatable part lies between the skin and the core; it is as white as fnow, and somewhat of the confiftence of new bread. It ferves as the principal food to the inhabi tants of these islands, to procure which costs them nothing but the labour of climbing the tree. This tree, however, does not shoot up spontaneously; but if a man plants ten in his life-time, which he may do in about an hour, he will as completely fulfil his duty to his own and future generations, as the native of our lefs temperate climate can do by ploughing in the cold winter, and those islands, a veffel, proper for the undertaking, was bought, and taken into dock at Deptford, to be provided with the neceffary fixtures and preparations for executing the object of the voyage. These were completed according to a plan made by Sir JOSEPH BANKS, which, in the event, proved the most advantageous that could have been adopted for the intended purpose. The ship was named Bounty. Lieutenant WILLIAM BLIGH was appointed to command her. The great cabin was appropriated for the preservation of the plants. It had two large sky-lights, and on each fide three skuttles for air, and was fitted with a false floor cut full of holes to contain the garden-pots, in which the plants were to be brought home. The deck was covered with lead, and at the foremost corners of the cabin were fixed pipes to carry off the water that drained from the plants, into tubs placed below to fave it for future use. The fhip was flored and victualled for eighteen months. In addition to the customary allowance of provifions, it was fupplied with four krout, portable foup, effence of malt, and a proportion of barley and and reaping in the fummer's heat, as often as these seasons return: even if, after he has procured bread for his prefent household, he fhould convert a furplus into money, and lay it up for his children. From Captain Cook's Voyage, Vol. II, 3P 2 wheat. wheat. The captain was likewife furnished with a quantity of iron-work and trinkets, to serve in his intercourse with the natives in the South Seas. The object of all the former voyages to the South Seas, undertaken by the command of his present majesty, has been the advancement of fcience and the increase of knowledge. This voyage may be reckoned the firft, the intention of which has been to derive benefit from those diftant difcoveries. To Lieut. WILLIAM BLIGH, commanding his Majefty's armed veffel the BOUNTY, at Spithead. By the Commiffioners for executing the office of Lord High Admiral of WHEREAS the king, upon a representation from the merchants and planters interested in his majesty's WEST INDIA poffeffions, that the introduction of the breadfruit tree into the iflands of those feas, to conftitute an article of food, would be of very effential benefit to the inhabitants, hath, in order to promote the interests of fo refpectable a body of his fubjects (especially in an inftance which promises general advantage) thought fit that mea fures fures fhould be taken for the procuring fome of those trees, and conveying them to the faid WEST INDIA iflands: and whereas the vessel under your command hath, in consequence thereof, been stored and victualled for that fervice, and fitted with proper conveniences and neceffaries for the prefervation of as many of the faid trees as, from her fize, can be taken on board her; and you have been directed to receive on board her the two gardeners named in the margin, who, from their know- David Nelfor ledge of trees and plants, have been hired for the pur- Wm. Brown. pofe of felecting fuch as fhall appear to be of a proper fpecies and fize: You are, therefore, in pursuance of his majesty's pleafure, fignified to us by Lord SYDNEY, one of his principal fecretaries of ftate, hereby required and directed to put to sea in the veffel you command, the first favourable opportunity of wind and weather, and proceed with her, as expeditiously as poffible, round Cape Horn, to the SOCIETY ISLANDS, fituate in the fouthern ocean, in the latitude of about 18° fouth, and longitude of about 210° eaft from Greenwich, where, according to the accounts given by the late Captain Cook, and perfons who accompanied him during his voyages, the bread and |