As to the chief employments of this party, Mr. Colman informs us, that Sir Joseph pursued his favourite study—botany, and sent the two youths every morning into Mulgrave woods, to gather plants for him. The gallant Captain, he remarks, had become "an antiquarian resurrection man," and "now he had dismounted from his race-horse [the name of his ship], which had carried him in his marine hunt after the North Pole", being still bent on discovery, he had chosen for his "terrestrial hobby," the opening of tumuli, or barrows, on the moors. "It was a kind of field-day," says Colman, "whenever we opened a tumulus;—a grand muster of all our party, attended by helpers. each carrying a pick-axe and a spade, a spade;' and as the operation, which occupied several hours, was effected at some distance from the house, we pitched a tent upon the scene of action, under which we dined." The culinary operations of the party are humorously described. In these, "the talents of Omai shone out most conspicuously, and he beat all his competitors." He dug a Tahitian oven on the moor, and baked his dinner in grand style but, instead of a South Sea dog, he dressed a couple of fine fowls; for plantain leaves, to wrap the food in, he had writing paper, smeared with butter;" for yams, he had potatoes; for the bread fruit, bread itself, the best home-made in Yorkshire."—"As to Omai's dish, in the eating, nothing could be better dressed, or more savoury: the smouldering pebble-stones and embers of the Otahitian oven, had given a certain flavour to the fowls, which made them taste as if a ham accompanied them. This saving by the bye, in procuring the relish of a ham, without incurring the expense of the ham itself, argues greatly in favour of Omai's receipt, and is well worthy the consideration of all good house-wives. As to the potatoes, all the Paddies of the Emerald Isle must own themselves outdone in the cooking of praties." Of the results of these exhumations, Colman, being no antiquarian, speaks with great contempt: "they consisted of a few crumbling pots, dignified by the name of urns, of less intrinsic value than a Staffordshire pipkin; and some small pieces of copper money, with which it was impossible to toss up, for they boasted neither heads nor tails."