ccident, and at last
happily to meet with the most friendly and best of people to relieve our
distresses; I say when I reflect on all these wonderful escapes the
remembrance of such great mercies enables me to bear, with resignation
and cheerfulness, the failure of an expedition the success of which I had
so much at heart and which was frustrated at a time when I was
congratulating myself on the fairest prospect of being able to complete
it in a manner that would fully have answered the intention of His
Majesty and the humane promoters of so benevolent a plan.

With respect to the preservation of our health during a course of 16 days
of heavy and almost continual rain I would recommend to everyone in a
similar situation the method we practised which is to dip their clothes
in the salt-water and wring them out as often as they become filled with
rain: it was the only resource we had, and I believe was of the greatest
service to us, for it felt more like a change of dry clothes than could
well be imagined. We had occasion to do this so often that at length all
our clothes were wrung to pieces: for, except the few days we passed on
the coast of New Holland, we were continually wet either with rain or
sea.

Thus through the assistance of Divine Providence we surmounted the
difficulties and distresses of a most perilous voyage and arrived safe in
an hospitable port where every necessary and comfort were administered to
us with a most liberal hand.

CHAPTER 18.

At Coupang.

JUNE 1789.

TIMOR.

From the great humanity and attention of the governor and the gentlemen
at Coupang we received every kind of assistance and were not long without
evident signs of returning health. Shortly after our arrival I presented
to the governor a formal account of the loss of the Bounty; and a
requisition in His Majesty's name that instructions might be sent to all
the Dutch settlements to stop the ship if she made her appearance. With
this a complete descriptive list of the mutineers was given.

I likewise requested in one of my first visits to the governor that
Nelson might have permission to walk about the country in search of
plants, which was readily granted with an offer of whatever assistance I
should think necessary: and the governor assured me that the country was
well worth examination as it abounded with many curious and medicinal
plants. From this indulgence I derived no benefit, for Nelson, who since
we left New Holland