At six o'clock in the morning of Friday the eighth of May, the variation

of the needle, by amplitude, was 7°11' E. In the afternoon we saw

several sheer-waters and sea-swallows. At eight in the morning of the

9th, the variation, by azimuth, was 6°34'E. and in the morning of the

11th, by azimuth and amplitude, it was 4°40'E. Our latitude was 27°20'S.

longitude, by account, 106°W. This day and the next we saw several

sea-swallows, sheer-waters, and porpoises, about the ship.

On the 14th of May, the variation, by four azimuths, was 2°E. About

four o'clock-in the afternoon, we saw a large flock of brown birds,

flying to the eastward, and something which had the appearance of high

land, in the same quarter. We bore away for it till sun-set, and it

still having the same appearance, we continued our course; but at two in

the morning, having run eighteen leagues without making it, we hauled

the wind, and at day-light nothing was to be seen. We had now the

satisfaction to find our ailing people mend apace. Our latitude was

24°50'S. our longitude, by account, 106°W. During all this time, we were

looking out for the Swallow.[50]

[Footnote 50: This is very liable to be controverted. Captain W. well

knew the bad condition and insufficiency of that vessel, and had, in

consequence, promised to _wait_ on her. But did he so, after he cleared

the streights? Did he even appoint a rendezvous or place of meeting with

her, after getting into the South Sea?--a thing so common for vessels

sailing in concert. He has assigned his reasons for not doing the

former, in Section II. Of his neglect of the latter, no satisfactory

account perhaps can be given. The reader will have some cause of wonder

and displeasure at more persons than one, when he peruses what Captain

Carteret has to say as to the propriety of sending out the Swallow on

this voyage. One can scarcely help inferring from his words, that he had

been intended as a mere forlorn hope, in navigating the difficult and

dangerous passage betwixt the two oceans.--E.]

At four in the afternoon of the 16th, the variation, by azimuth and

amplitude, was 6°E. and at six the next morning, by four azimuths, it

was 3°20'.

The carpenters were now employed in caulking the upper works of the

ship, and repairing and painting the boats, and on the 18th I gave a

sheep among the people that were sick and recovering.

On Wednesday the 20th, we found our longitude, by observation, to be

106°47'W. and our latitude 20°52'S. The next day we saw several flying

fish, which were the first we had seen in these seas.

On the 22d, our longitude, by observation, was 111°W. and our latitude

20°18'S. and this day we saw some bonettoes, dolphins, and tropic birds.

The people, who had been recovering from colds and fevers, now began to

fall down in the scurvy, upon which, at the surgeon's representation,

wine was served to them; wort was also made for them of malt, and each

man had half a pint of pickled cabbage every day. The variation from 4

to 5 E.

On the 26th we saw two grampuses; on the 28th we saw another, and the

next day several birds, among which was one about the size of a swallow,

which some of us thought was a land bird.

Our men now began to look very pale and sickly, and to fall down very

fast in the scurvy, notwithstanding all our care and attention to

prevent it. They had vinegar and mustard without limitation, wine

instead of spirits, sweet wort and salop. Portable soup was still

constantly boiled in their peas and oatmeal; their birth and clothes

were kept perfectly clean; the hammocks were constantly brought upon the

deck at eight o'clock in the morning, and carried down at four in the

afternoon. Some of the beds and hammocks were washed every day; the

water was rendered wholesome by ventilation, and every part between

decks frequently washed with vinegar.

On Sunday the 31st of May, our longitude, by observation, was 127°45'W.

our latitude 29°38'S. and the variation, by azimuth and amplitude,

5°9'E.

The next day, at three in the afternoon, our longitude, by observation,

was 129°15'W. and our latitude 19°34'S. We had squally weather, with

much lightning and rain, and saw several man-of-war birds.

On the 3d we saw several gannets, which, with the uncertainty of the

weather, inclined us to hope that land was not very far distant. The

next day a turtle swam close by the ship; on the 5th we saw many birds,

which confirmed our hope that some place of refreshment was near, and at

eleven o'clock in the forenoon of the 6th, Jonathan Puller, a seaman,

called out from the mast-head, "Land in the W.N.W." At noon it was seen

plainly from the deck, and found to be a low island, at about five or

six leagues distance. The joy which everyone on board felt at this

discovery, can be conceived by those only who have experienced the

danger, sickness, and fatigue of such a voyage as we had performed.

When we were within about five miles of this island, we saw another,

bearing N.W. by W. About three o'clock in the afternoon, being very near

the island that was first discovered, we brought-to, and I sent Mr

Furneaux, my second lieutenant, my first lieutenant being very ill, with

the boats manned and armed, to the shore. As he approached it, we saw

two canoes put off, and paddle away with great expedition towards the

island that lay to leeward. At seven in the evening the boats returned,

and brought with them several cocoa-nuts, and a considerable quantity of

scurvy-grass; they brought also some fishhooks, that were made of

oyster-shells, and some of the shells of which they were made. They

reported that they had seen none of the inhabitants, but had visited

three huts, or rather sheds, consisting only of a roof, neatly thatched

with cocoa-nut and palm-leaves, supported upon posts, and open all

round. They saw also several canoes building, but found no fresh water,

nor any fruit but cocoa-nuts. They sounded, but found no anchorage, and

it was with great difficulty they got on shore, as the surf ran very

high. Having received this account, I stood off and on all night, and,

early the next morning, I sent the boats out again to sound, with

orders, if possible, to find a place where the ship might come to an

anchor; but at eleven o'clock they returned, with no better success than

before. The people told me that the whole island was surrounded by a

reef, and that although on the weather side of the island there was an

opening through it, into a large bason, that extended to the middle of

the island, yet they found it so full of breakers, that they could not

venture in; neither indeed had they been able to land on any part of the

island, the surf running still higher than it had done the day before.

As it would therefore answer no purpose to continue here, I hoisted the

boats in, and stood away for the other island, which bore S.22°E.

distant about four leagues. The island which I now quitted, having been

discovered on Whitsun-eve, I called it _Whitsun Island_. It is about

four miles long, and three wide. Its latitude is 19°26'S., and its

longitude, by observation, 157°56'W.

When we came under the lee of the other island, I sent Lieutenant

Furneaux, with the boats manned and armed, to the shore, where I saw

about fifty of the natives armed with long pikes, and several of them

running about with fire-brands in their hands. I ordered Mr Furneaux to

go to that part of the beach where we saw the people, and endeavour to

traffic with them for fruit and water, or whatever else might be useful;

at the same time being particularly careful to give them no offence. I

ordered him also to employ the boats in sounding for anchorage. About

seven o'clock he returned, and told me that he could find no ground with

the line, till he came within half-a-cable's length of the shore, and

that there it consisted of sharp rocks, and lay very deep.

As the boat approached the shore, the Indians thronged down towards the

beach, and put themselves upon their guard with their long pikes, as if

to dispute landing. Our men then lay upon their oars, and made signs of

friendship, shewing at the same time several strings of beads, ribbands,

knives, and other trinkets. The Indians still made signs to our people

that they should depart, but at the same time eyed the trinkets with a

kind of wishful curiosity. Soon after, some of them advanced a few steps

into the sea, and our people making signs that they wanted cocoa-nuts

and water, some of them brought down a small quantity of both, and

ventured to hand them into the boat: the water was in cocoa-nut shells,

and the fruit was stripped of its outward covering, which is probably

used for various purposes. For this supply they were paid with the

trinkets that had been shewed them, and some nails, upon which they

seemed to set a much greater value. During this traffic, one of the

Indians found means to steal a silk handkerchief, in which some of our

small merchandise was wrapped up, and carried it clear off, with its

contents, so dexterously, that nobody observed him. Our people made

signs that a handkerchief had been stolen, but they either could not or

would not understand them. The boat continued about the beach, sounding

for anchorage, till it was dark; and having many times endeavoured to

persuade the natives to bring down some scurvy-grass, without success,

she returned on board.

I stood off and on with the ship all night, and as soon as the day

broke, I sent the boats again, with orders to make a landing, but

without giving any offence to the natives, that could possibly be

avoided. When our boats came near the shore, the officer was greatly

surprised to see seven large canoes, with two stout masts in each, lying

just in the surf, with all the inhabitants upon the beach, ready to

embark. They made signs to our people to go higher up; they readily

complied, and as soon as they went ashore, all the Indians embarked, and

sailed away to the westward, being joined by two other canoes at the

west end of the island. About noon, the boats returned, laden with

cocoa-nuts, palm-nuts, and scurvy-grass. Mr Furneaux, who commanded the

expedition, told me that the Indians had left nothing behind them but

four or five canoes. He found a well of very good water, and described

the island as being sandy and level, full of trees, but without

underwood, and abounding with scurvy-grass. The canoes, which steered

about W.S.W. as long as they could be seen from the mast-head, appeared

to be about thirty feet long, four feet broad, and three and an half

deep. Two of these being brought along-side of each other, were fastened

together, at the distance of about three feet asunder, by cross beams,

passing from the larboard gunwale of one, to the starboard gunwale of

the other, in the middle and near to each end.

The inhabitants of this island were of a middle stature, and dark

complexion, with long black hair, which hung loose over their shoulders.

The men were well made, and the women handsome. Their clothing was a

kind of coarse cloth or matting, which was fastened about their middle,

and seemed capable of being brought up round their shoulders.

In the afternoon, I sent Lieutenant Furneaux with the boats again on

shore. He had with him a mate and twenty men, who were to make a

rolling-way for getting the casks down to the beach from the well. I

gave orders that he should take possession of the island, in the name of

King George the Third, and give it the name of _Queen Charlottes

Island,_ in honour of her majesty. The boats returned freighted with

cocoa-nuts and scurvy-grass, and the officer told me that he had found

two more wells of good water, not far from the beach. I was at this time

very ill, yet I went ashore with the surgeon, and several of the people,

who were enfeebled by the scurvy, to take a walk. I found the wells so

convenient, that I left the mate and twenty men on shore to fill the

water, and ordered a week's provisions to be sent them from the ship,

they being already furnished with arms and ammunition. In the evening I

returned on board, with the surgeon and the sick, leaving only the

waterers on shore. As we had not been able to find any anchorage, I

stood off and on all night.

In the morning, I sent all the empty water casks on shore: the surgeon

and the sick were also sent for the benefit of another airing, but I

gave them strict orders that they should keep near the water-side, and

in the shade; that they should not pull down or injure any of the

houses, nor, for the sake of the fruit, destroy the cocoa-trees, which I

appointed proper persons to climb. At noon, the rolling-way being made,

the cutter returned laden with water, but, it was with great difficulty

got off the beach, as it is all rock, and the surf that breaks upon it

is often very great. At four, I received another boat-load of water, and

a fresh supply of cocoa-nuts, palm-nuts, and scurvy-grass; the surgeon

also returned with the sick men, who received much benefit from their

walk. The next morning, as soon as it was light, I dispatched orders to

the mate, to send all the water that was filled on board, and to be

ready to come off with his people when the boats should return again,

bringing with them as many cocoa-nuts, and as much scurvy-grass, as they

could procure. About eight o'clock, all the boats and people came on

board, with the water and refreshments, but the cutter, in coming off,

shipped a sea, which almost filled her with water: The barge was happily

near enough to assist her, by taking great part of her crew on board,

while the rest freed her, without any other damage than the loss of the

cocoa-nuts and greens that were on board. At noon, I hoisted the boats

in, and there being a great sea, with a dreadful surf rolling in upon

the shore, and no anchorage, I thought it prudent to leave this place,

with such refreshments as we had got. The people who had resided on

shore, saw no appearance of metal of any kind, but several tools, which

were made of shells and stones, sharpened and fitted into handles, like

adzes, chissels, and awls. They saw several canoes building, which were

formed of planks, sewed together, and fastened to several small timbers,

that passed transversely along the bottom and up the sides. They saw

several repositories of the dead, in which the body was left to putrefy

under a canopy, and not put into the ground.

When we sailed, we left a union jack flying upon the island, with the

ship's name, the time of our being here, and an account of our taking

possession of this place, and Whitsun Island, in the name of his

Britannic Majesty, cut on a piece of wood, and in the bark of several

trees. We also left some hatchets, nails, glass bottles, beads,

shillings, sixpences, and halfpence, as presents to the natives, and an

atonement for the disturbance we had given them. Queen Charlotte's

Island is about six miles long, and one mile wide, lies in latitude

19°18'S., longitude, by observation, 138°4'W.; and we found the

variation here to be 4°46'E.

We made sail with a fine breeze, and, about one o'clock, saw an island

W. by S., Queen Charlotte's Island at this time bearing E. by N. distant

fifteen miles. At half an hour after three, we were within about three

quarters of a mile of the east end of the island, and ran close along

the shore, but had no soundings. The east and west ends are joined to

each other by a reef of rocks, over which the sea breaks into a lagoon,

in the middle of the island, which, therefore, had the appearance of two

islands, and seemed to be about six miles long, and four broad. The

whole of it is low land, full of trees, but we saw not a single cocoa

nut, nor any huts: We found, however, at the westermost end, all the

canoes and people who had fled, at our approach, from Queen Charlotte's

Island, and some more. We counted eight double canoes, and about

fourscore people, women, and children. The canoes were drawn up on the

beach, the women and children were placed near them, and the men

advanced with their pikes and firebrands, making a great noise, and

dancing in a strange manner. We observed that this island was sandy, and

that under the trees there was no verdure. As the shore was every where

rocky, as there was no anchorage, and as we had no prospect of obtaining

any refreshment here, I set sail at six o'clock in the evening, from

this island, to which I gave the name of _Egmont Island_, in honour of

the Earl of Egmont, who was then first Lord of the Admiralty. It lies in

latitude 19°20'S., longitude, by observation, 138°30'W.

At one o'clock, on the 11th, we saw an island in the W.S.W. and stood,

for it. At four in the afternoon, we were within a quarter of a mile of

the shore, and ran along it, sounding continually, but could get no

ground. It is surrounded on every side by rocks, on which the sea breaks

very high. It is full of trees, but not one cocoa-nut, and has much the

same appearance with Egmont Island, but is much narrower. Among the

rocks, at the west end, we saw about sixteen of the natives, but no

canoes: They carried long pikes or poles in their hands, and seemed to

be, in every respect, the same kind of people that we had seen before.

As nothing was to be had here, and it blew very hard, I made sail till

eight in the evening, and then brought to. To this island, which is

about six miles long, and from one mile to one quarter of a mile broad,

I gave the name of _Gloucester Island_, in honour of his royal highness

the Duke. It lies in latitude 19°11'S., and longitude, by observation,

140°4'W.

At five o'clock in the morning, we made sail, and soon after saw another

island. At ten o'clock, the weather being tempestuous, with much rain,

we saw a long reef, with breakers on each side of the island, and

therefore brought the ship to, with her head off the shore. To this

island, which lies in latitude 19°18'S., longitude, by observation,

140°36'W., I gave the name of _Cumberland Island_, in honour of his

royal highness the Duke. It lies low, and is about the same size as

Queen Charlotte's Island. We found the variation, of the needle here to

be 7°10'E. As I had no hope of finding any refreshment here, I stood on

to the westward.

At day-break, on Saturday the 13th, we saw another small low island, in

the N.N.W. right to windward. It had the appearance of small flat keys.

This place I called _Prince William Henry's Island_, in honour of his

majesty's third son. It lies in latitude 19°S., longitude, by

observation, 141°6' W. I made no stay here, hoping that to the westward

I should find higher land, where the ship might come to an anchor, and

such refreshments as we wanted be procured.

Soon after day-light, on the 17th, we saw land bearing W. by N. and

making in a small round hummock. At noon, when it bore N. 64° W. distant

about five leagues, its appearance greatly resembled the Mewstone in

Plymouth Sound, but it seemed to be much larger. We found the ship this

day twenty miles to the northward of her reckoning, which I imputed to a

great S.W. swell.

At five in the evening, this island bore N.W. distant about eight miles.

I then hauled the wind, and stood on and off all night. At ten, we saw a

light upon the shore, which, though the island was small, proved that it

was inhabited, and gave us hopes that we should find anchorage near it.

We observed with great pleasure, that the land was very high, and

covered with cocoa-trees; a sure sign that there was water.

The next morning, I sent Lieutenant Furneaux to the shore, with the

boats manned and armed, and all kinds of trinkets, to establish a

traffic with the natives, for such refreshment as the place would

afford. I gave him orders also to find, if possible, an anchoring-place

for the ship. While we were getting out the boats, several canoes put

off from the island, but as soon as the people on board saw them make

towards the shore, they put back. At noon, the boats returned, and

brought with them a pig and a cock, with a few plantains and cocoa-nuts.

Mr Furneaux reported, that he had seen at least an hundred of the

inhabitants, and believed there were many more upon the island; but

that, having been all round it, he could find no anchorage, nor scarcely

a landing-place for the boat. When he reached the shore, he came to a

grappling, and threw a warp to the Indians upon the beach, who caught it

and held it fast. He then began to converse with them by signs, and

observed that they had no weapon among them, but that some of them had

white sticks, which seemed to be ensigns of authority, as the people who

bore them kept the rest of the natives back. In return for the pig and

the cock, he gave them some beads, a looking-glass, a few combs, with

several other trinkets, and a hatchet. The women, who had been kept at a

distance, as soon as they saw the trinkets, ran down in a crowd to the

beach, with great eagerness, but were soon driven away by the men, at

which they expressed much disappointment and vexation. While this

traffic was carrying on, a man came secretly round a rock, and diving

down, took up the boat's grappling, and at the same time the people on

shore who held the warp, made an effort to draw her into the surf. As

soon as this was perceived by the people on board, they fired a musket

over the man's head who had taken up the grappling, upon which he

instantly let it go, with marks of great terror and astonishment; the

people on shore also let go the rope. The boats, after this, lay some

time upon their oars, but the officer, finding that he could get nothing

more, returned on board. Mr Furneanx told me, that both the men and

women were clothed, and he brought a piece of their cloth away with him.

The inhabitants appeared to him to be more numerous than the island

could support, and for this reason, especially as he saw some large

double canoes upon the beach, he imagined there were islands of larger

extent, not far distant, where refreshments in greater plenty might be

procured, and hoped that they might be less difficult of access. As I

thought this a reasonable conjecture, I hoisted in the boats, and

determined to run farther to the westward. To this place, which is

nearly circular, and about two miles over, I gave the name of _Osnaburgh

Island_, in honour of Prince Frederick, who is bishop of that see. It

lies in latitude 17°51'S., and longitude 147°30'W.; the variation here

was 7°10' E.[51]

[Footnote 51: The islands spoken of in this section, with several more,

constitute a pretty considerable cluster, to which Bougainville gave the

name of Dangerous Archipelago; and by this name they are usually

designated in modern maps.--E.]

SECTION V.

_An Account of the Discovery of King George the Third's Island, or

Otaheite, and of several Incidents which happened both on board the

Ship, and on Shore._

At two o'clock, the same day, we bore away, and in about half an hour,

discovered very high land in the W. S.W. At seven in the evening,

Osnaburgh Island bore E. N.E. and the new discovered land, from W.N.W.

to W. by S. As the weather was thick and squally, we brought to for the

night, or at least till the fog should break away. At two in the

morning, it being very clear, we made sail again; at day-break we saw

the land, at about five leagues distance, and steered directly for it;

but at eight o'clock, when we were close under it, the fog obliged us

again to lie to, and when it cleared away, we were much surprised, to

find ourselves surrounded by some hundreds of canoes. They were of

different sizes, and had on board different numbers, from one to ten, so

that in all of them together, there could not be less than eight hundred

people. When they came within pistol-shot of the ship, they lay by,

gazing at us with great astonishment, and by turns conferring with each

other. In the mean time we shewed them trinkets of various kinds, and

invited them on board. Soon after, they drew together, and held a kind

of council, to determine what should be done: Then they all paddled

round the ship, making signs of friendship, and one of them holding up a

branch of the plantain-tree, made a speech that lasted near a quarter of

an hour, and then threw it into the sea. Soon after, as we continued to

make signs of invitation, a fine, stout, lively young man ventured on

board: He came up by the mizen chains, and jumped out of the shrouds

upon the top of the awning. We made signs to him to come down upon the

quarter-deck, and handed up some trinkets to him: He looked pleased, but

would accept of nothing till some of the Indians came along-side, and

after much talk, threw a few branches of plantain-tree on board the

ship; he then accepted our presents, and several others very soon came

on board, at different parts of the ship, not knowing the proper

entrance. As one of these Indians was standing near the gang-way, on the

larboard side of the quarter-deck, one of our goats butted him upon the

haunches: Being surprised at the blow, he turned hastily about, and saw

the goat raised upon his hind-legs, ready to repeat the blow. The

appearance of this animal, so different from any he had ever seen,

struck him with such terror, that he instantly leaped over-board; and

all the rest, upon seeing what had happened, followed his example with

the utmost precipitation: They recovered, however, in a short time, from

their fright, and returned on board. After having a little reconciled

them to our goats and sheep, I shewed them our hogs and poultry, and

they immediately made signs that they had such animals as these. I then

distributed trinkets and nails among them, and made signs that they

should go on shore and bring us some of their hogs, fowls, and fruit,

but they did not seem to understand my meaning: They were, in the mean

time, watching an opportunity to steal some of the things that happened

to lie in their way, but we generally detected them in the attempt. At

last, however, one of the midshipmen happened to come where they were

standing, with a new laced hat upon his head, and began to talk to one

of them by signs: While he was thus engaged, another of them came behind

him, and suddenly snatching off the hat, leaped over the taffarel into

the sea, and swam away with it.

As we had no anchorage here, we stood along the shore, sending the boats

at the same time to sound at a less distance. As none of these canoes

had sails, they could not keep up with us, and therefore soon paddled

back towards the shore. The country has the most delightful and romantic

appearance that can be imagined: Towards the sea it is level, and is

covered with fruit trees of various kinds, particularly the cocoa-nut.

Among these are the houses of the inhabitants, consisting only of a

roof, and at a distance having greatly the appearance of a long barn.

The country within, at about the distance of three miles, rises into

lofty hills, that are crowned with wood, and terminate in peaks, from

which large rivers are precipitated into the sea. We saw no shoals, but

found the island skirted by a reef of rocks, through which there are

several openings into deep water. About three o'clock in the afternoon,

we brought-to a-breast of a large bay, where there was an appearance of

anchorage. The boats were immediately sent to sound it, and while they

were thus employed, I observed a great number of canoes gather round

them. I suspected that the Indians had a design to attack them; and as I

was very desirous to prevent mischief, I made the signal for the boats

to come on board, and at the same time, to intimidate the Indians, I

fired a nine-pounder over their heads. As soon as the cutter began to

stand towards the ship, the Indians in their canoes, though they had

been startled by the thunder of our nine-pounder, endeavoured to cut her

off. The boat, however, sailing faster than the canoes could paddle,

soon got clear of those that were about her; but some others, that were

full of men, way-laid her in her course, and threw several stones into

her, which wounded some of the people. Upon this, the officer on board

fired a musket, loaded with buck-shot, at the man who threw the first

stone, and wounded him in the shoulder. The rest of the people in the

canoe, as soon as they perceived their companion wounded, leapt into the

sea, and the other canoes paddled away in great terror and confusion. As

soon as the boats reached the ship, they were hoisted on board, and just

as she was about to stand on, we observed a large canoe, under sail,

making after us. As I thought she might have some chief on board, or

might have been dispatched to bring me a message from some chief, I

determined to wait for her. She sailed very fast, and was soon alongside

of the ship, but we did not observe, among those on board, any one that

seemed to have an authority over the rest. One of them, however, stood

up, and having made a speech, which continued about five minutes, threw

on board a branch of the plantain-tree. We understood this to be a token

of peace, and we returned it, by handing over one of the branches of

plantain that had been left on board by our first visitors: With this

and some toys, that were afterwards presented to him, he appeared to be

much gratified, and after a short time, went away.

The officers who had been sent out with the boats, informed me that they

had sounded close to the reef, and found as great a depth of water as at

the other islands: However, as I was now on the weather-side of the

island, I had reason to expect anchorage in running to leeward. I

therefore took this course, but finding breakers that ran off to a great

distance from the south end of the island, I hauled the wind, and

continued turning to windward all night, in order to run down on the

east side of the island.

At five o'clock in the morning, we made sail, the land bearing N.W. by

W. distant ten leagues; and there seemed to be land five leagues beyond

it, to the N.E.; a remarkable peak, like a sugar loaf, bore N.N.E. when

we were about two leagues from the shore, which afforded a most

delightful prospect, and was full of houses and inhabitants. We saw

several large canoes near the shore, under sail, but they did not steer

towards the ship. At noon, we were within two or three miles of the

island, and it then bore from S.3/4 W. to N.W. by N. We continued our

course along the shore, sometimes at the distance of half a mile, and

sometimes at the distance of four or five miles, but hitherto had got no

soundings. At six o'clock in the evening, we were a-breast of a fine

river, and the coast having a better appearance here than in any other

part that we had seen, I determined to stand off and on all night, and

try for anchorage in the morning. As soon as it was dark, we saw a great

number of lights all along the shore. At daybreak, we sent out the boats

to sound, and soon after, they made the signal for twenty fathom. This

produced an universal joy, which it is not easy to describe, and we

immediately ran in, and came to an anchor in seventeen fathom, with a

clear sandy bottom. We lay about a mile distant from the shore, opposite

to a fine run of water; the extremes of the land bearing from E.S.E. to

N.W. by W. As soon as we had secured the ship, I sent the boats to sound

along the coast, and look at the place where we saw the water. At this

time, a considerable number of canoes came off to the ship, and brought

with them hogs, fowls, and fruit in great plenty, which we purchased for

trinkets and nails. But when the boats made towards the shore, the

canoes, most of which were double, and very large, sailed after them. At

first they kept at a distance, but as the boats approached the shore,

they grew bolder, and at last three of the largest ran at the cutter,

staved in her quarter, and carried away her out-rigger, the Indians

preparing at the same time to board her, with their clubs and paddles in

their hands. Our people being thus pressed, were obliged to fire, by

which one of the assailants was killed, and another much wounded. Upon

receiving the shot, they both fell overboard, and all the people who

were in the same canoe, instantly leaped into the sea after them: The

other two canoes dropped a-stern, and our boats went on without any

farther interruption. As soon as the Indians, who were in the water, saw

that the boats stood on without attempting to do them any farther hurt,

they recovered their canoe, and hauled in their wounded companions. They

set them both upon their feet to see if they could stand, and finding

they could not, they tried whether they could sit upright: One of them

could, and him they supported in that posture, but perceiving that the

other was quite dead, they laid the body along at the bottom of the

canoe. After this some of the canoes went ashore, and others returned

again to the ship to traffic, which is a proof that our conduct had

convinced them that while they behaved peaceably they had nothing to

fear, and that they were conscious they had brought the mischief, which

had just happened, upon themselves.

The boats continued sounding till noon, when they returned with an

account that the ground was very clear; that it was at the depth of five

fathom, within a quarter of a mile of the shore; but that there was a

very great surf where we had seen the water. The officers told me, that

the inhabitants swarmed upon the beach, and that many of them swam off

to the boat with fruit, and bamboos filled with water. They said that

they were very importunate with them to come on shore, particularly the

women, who came down to the beach, and stripping themselves naked,

endeavoured to allure them by many wanton gestures, the meaning of which

could not possibly be mistaken. At this time, however, our people

resisted the temptation.

In the afternoon, I sent the boats again to the shore, with some

barecas, or small casks, which are filled at the head, and have a handle

by which they are carried, to endeavour to procure some water, of which

we began to be in great want. In the mean time many of the canoes

continued about the ship, but the Indians had been guilty of so many

thefts, that I would not suffer any more of them to come on board.

At five in the evening, the boats returned with only two barecas of

water, which the natives had filled for them; and as a compensation for

their trouble, they thought fit to detain all the rest. Our people, who

did not leave their boat, tried every expedient they could think of to

induce the Indians to return their water-vessels, but without success;

and the Indians, in their turn, were very pressing for our people to

come on shore, which they thought it prudent to decline. There were many

thousands of the inhabitants of both sexes, and a great number of

children on the beach, when our boats came away.

The next morning, I sent the boats on shore again for water, with nails,

hatchets, and such other things as I thought most likely to gain the

friendship of the inhabitants. In the mean time, a great number of

canoes came off to the ship, with bread-fruit, plantains, a fruit

resembling an apple, only better, fowls, and hogs, which we purchased

with beads, nails, knives, and other articles of the like kind, so that

we procured pork enough to serve the ship's company two days, at a pound

a man.

When the boats returned, they brought us only a few calibashes of water,

for the number of people on the beach was so great, that they would not

venture to land, though the young women repeated the allurements which

they had practised the day before, with still more wanton, and, if

possible, less equivocal gestures. Fruit and provisions of various kinds

were brought down and ranged upon the beach, of which our people were

also invited to partake, as an additional inducement for them to leave

the boat. They continued, however, inexorable, and shewing the Indian's

the barecas on board, made signs that they should bring down those which

had been detained the day before: To this the Indians were inexorable in

their turn, and our people therefore weighed their grapplings, and

sounded all round the place, to see whether the ship could come in near

enough to cover the waterers, in which case they might venture on shore,

in defiance of the whole island. When they put off, the women pelted

them with apples and bananas, shouting, and shewing every mark of

derision and contempt that they could devise. They reported, that the

ship might ride in four fathom water, with sandy ground, at two cables'

length from the shore, and in five fathom water at three cables' length.

The wind here blew right along the shore, raising a great surf on the

side of the vessel, and on the beach.

At day-break, the next morning, we weighed, with a design to anchor off

the watering-place. As we were standing off, to get farther to windward,

we discovered a bay about six or eight miles to leeward, over the land,

from the mast-head, and immediately bore away for it, sending the boats

a-head to sound. At nine o'clock, the boats making the signal for twelve

fathom, we hauled round a reef, and stood in, with a design to come to

an anchor; but when we came near the boats, one of which was on each

bow, the ship struck. Her head continued immoveable, but her stern was

free; and, upon casting the lead, we found the depth of water, upon the

reef or shoal, to be from seventeen fathom to two and a half: We clewed

all up as fast as possible, and cleared the ship of what lumber there

happened to be upon the deck, at the same time getting out the

long-boat, with the stream and kedge anchors, the stream-cable and

hauser, in order to carry them without the reef, that when they had

taken ground, the ship might be drawn off towards them, by applying a

great force to the capstern, but unhappily without the reef we had no

bottom. Our condition was now very alarming, the ship continued beating

against the rock with great force, and we were surrounded by many

hundred canoes, full of men; they did not, however, attempt to come on

board us, but seemed to wait in expectation of our shipwreck. In the

anxiety and terror of such a situation we continued near an hour,

without being able to do any thing for our deliverance, except staving

some water-casks in the fore-hold, when a breeze happily springing up

from the shore, the ship's head swung off. We immediately pressed her

with all the sail we could make; upon which she began to move, and was

very soon once more in deep water.

We now stood off, and the boats being sent to leeward, found that the

reef ran down to the westward about a mile and a half, and that beyond

it there was a very good harbour. The master, after having placed a boat

at the end of the reef, and furnished the long-boat with anchor and

hausers, and a guard to defend her from an attack of the Indians, came

on board, and piloted the ship round the reef into the harbour, where,

about twelve o'clock, she came to an anchor in seventeen fathom water,

with a fine bottom of black sand.

The place where the ship struck appeared, upon farther examination, to

be a reef of sharp coral rock, with very unequal soundings, from six

fathom to two; and it happened unfortunately to lie between the two

boats that were placed as a direction to the ship, the weathermost boat

having twelve fathom, and the leewardmost nine. The wind freshened

almost as soon as we got off, and though it soon became calm again, the

surf ran so high, and broke with such violence upon the rock, that if

the ship had continued fast half an hour longer, she must inevitably

have been beaten to pieces. Upon examining her bottom, we could not

discover that she had received any damage, except that a small piece was

beaten off the bottom of her rudder. She did not appear to admit any

water, but the trussel-trees, at the head of all the masts, were broken

short, which we supposed to have happened while she was beating against

the rock. Our boats lost their grapplings upon the reef, but as we had

reason to hope that the ship was sound, they gave us very little

concern. As soon as the ship was secured, I sent the master, with all

the boats manned and armed, to sound the upper part of the bay, that if

he found good anchorage we might warp the ship up within the reef, and

anchor her in safety. The weather was now very pleasant, a great number

of canoes were upon the reef, and the shore was crowded with people.

About four in the afternoon the master returned, and reported, that

there was every-where good anchorage; I therefore determined to warp the

ship up the bay early in the morning, and in the mean time, I put the

people at four watches, one watch to be always under arms; loaded and

primed all the guns, fixed musquetoons in all the boats, and ordered all

the people who were not upon the watch, to repair to the quarters

assigned them, at a moment's warning, there being a great number of

canoes, some of them very large, and full of men, hovering upon the

shore, and many smaller venturing to the ship, with hogs, fowls, and

fruit, which we purchased of them, much to the satisfaction of both

parties; and at sun-set, all the canoes rowed in to the shore.

At six o'clock the next morning, we began to warp the ship up the

harbour, and soon after, a great number of canoes came under her stern.

As I perceived that they had hogs, fowls, and fruit on board, I ordered

the gunner, and two midshipmen, to purchase them for knives, nails,

beads, and other trinkets, at the same time prohibiting the trade to all

other persons on board. By eight o'clock, the number of canoes was

greatly increased, and those that came last up were double, of a very

large size, with twelve or fifteen stout men in each. I observed, with

some concern, that they appeared to be furnished rather for war than

trade, having very little on board except round pebble stones; I

therefore sent for Mr Furneaux, my first lieutenant being still very

ill, and ordered him to keep the fourth watch constantly at their arms,

while the rest of the people were warping the ship. In the mean time

more canoes were continually coming off from the shore, which were

freighted very differently from the rest, for they had on board a number

of women, who were placed in a row, and who, when they came near the

ship, made all the wanton gestures that can be conceived. While these

ladies were practising their allurements, the large canoes, which were

freighted with stones, drew together very close round the ship, some of

the men on board singing in a hoarse voice, some blowing conchs, and

some playing on a flute. After some time, a man who sat upon a canopy

that was fixed on one of the large double canoes, made signs that he

wished to come up to the ship's side; I immediately intimated my

consent, and when he came alongside, he gave one of the men a bunch of

red and yellow feathers, making signs that he should carry it to me. I

received it with expressions of amity, and immediately got some trinkets

to present him in return, but to my great surprise he had put off to a

little distance from the ship, and upon his throwing up the branch of a

cocoa-nut tree, there was an universal shout from all the canoes, which

at once moved towards the ship, and a shower of stones was poured into

her on every side. As an attack was now begun, in which our arms only

could render us superior to the multitude that assailed us, especially

as great part of the ship's company was in a sick and feeble condition,

I ordered the guard to fire; two of the quarter-deck guns, which I had

loaded with small shot, were also fired nearly at the same time, and the

Indians appeared to be thrown into some confusion: In a few minutes,

however, they renewed the attack, and all our people that were able to

come upon deck, having by this time got to their quarters, I ordered

them to fire the great guns, and to play some of them constantly at a

place on shore, where a great number of canoes were still taking in men,

and pushing off towards the ship with the utmost expedition. When the

great guns began to fire, there were not less than three hundred canoes

about the ship, having on board at least two thousand men; many

thousands were also upon the shore, and more canoes coming from every

quarter: The firing, however, soon drove away the canoes that were about

the ship, and put a stop to the coming off of others. As soon as I saw

some of them retreating, and the rest quiet, I ordered the firing to

cease, hoping that they were sufficiently convinced of our superiority,

not to renew the contest. In this, however, I was unhappily mistaken: A

great number of the canoes that had been dispersed, soon drew together

again, and lay some time on their paddles, looking at the ship from the

distance of about a quarter of a mile, and then suddenly hoisting white

streamers, pulled towards the ship's stern, and began again to throw

stones, with great force and dexterity, by the help of slings, from a

considerable distance: Each of these stones weighed about two pounds,

and many of them wounded the people on board, who would have suffered

much more, if an awning had not been spread over the whole deck to keep

out the sun, and the hammocks placed in the nettings. At the same time

several canoes, well manned, were making towards the ship's bow, having

probably taken notice that no shot had been fired from this part: I

therefore ordered some guns forward, to be well pointed and fired at

these canoes; at the same time running out two guns abaft, and pointing

them well at the canoes that were making the attack. Among the canoes

that were coming toward the bow, there was one which appeared to have

some chief on board, as it was by signals made from her that the others

had been called together: It happened that a shot, fired from the guns

forward, hit this canoe so full as to cut it asunder. As soon as this

was observed by the rest, they dispersed with such haste that in half an

hour there was not a single canoe to be seen; the people also who had

crowded the shore, immediately fled over the hills with the utmost

precipitation.

Having now no reason to fear any further interruption, we warped the

ship up the harbour, and by noon, we were not more than half a mile from

the upper part of the bay, within less than two cables' length of a fine

river, and about two and a half of the reef. We had here nine fathom

water, and close to the shore there were five. We moored the ship, and

carried out the stream-anchor, with the two shroud-hawsers, for a

spring, to keep the ship's broadside abreast of the river; we also got

up and mounted the eight guns which had been put into the hold. As soon

as this was done, the boats were employed in sounding all around the

bay, and in examining the shore where any of the inhabitants appeared,

in order to discover, whether it was probable that they would give us

any further disturbance. All the afternoon, and part of the next

morning, was spent in this service; and about noon, the master returned,

with a tolerable survey of the place, and reported, that there were no

canoes in sight; that there was good landing on every part of the beach;

that there was nothing in the bay from which danger could be

apprehended, except the reef, and some rocks at the upper end, which

appeared above water; and that the river, though it emptied itself on

the other side of the point, was fresh water.

Soon after the master had brought me this account, I sent Mr Furneaux

again, with all the boats manned and armed, the marines being also put

on board, with orders to land opposite to our station, and secure

himself, under cover of the boats and the ship, in the clearest ground

he could find. About two o'clock the boats landed without any

opposition, and Mr Furneaux stuck up a staff, upon which he hoisted a

pendant, turned a turf, and took possession of the island in his

majesty's name, in honour of whom he called it _King George the Third's

Island_:[52] He then went to the river, and tasted the water, which he

found excellent, and, mixing some of it with rum, every man drank his

majesty's health. While he was at the river, which was about twelve

yards wide, and fordable, he saw two old men on the opposite side of it,

who perceiving that they were discovered, put themselves in a

supplicatory posture, and seemed to be in great terror and confusion. Mr

Furneaux made signs that they should come over the river, and one of

them complied. When he landed, he came forward, creeping upon his hands

and knees, but Mr Furneaux raised him up, and, while he stood trembling,

shewed him some of the stones that were thrown at the ship, and

endeavoured to make him apprehend that if the natives attempted no

mischief against us, we should do no harm to them. He ordered two of the

water-casks to be filled, to shew the Indian that we wanted water, and

produced some hatchets, and other things, to intimate that he wished to

trade for provisions. The old man, during this pantomimical

conversation, in some degree recovered his spirits; and Mr Furneaux, to

confirm his professions of friendship, gave him a hatchet, some nails,

beads, and other trifles; after which he re-embarked on board the boats,

and left the pendant flying. As soon as the boats were put off, the old

man went up to the pendant, and danced round it a considerable time: He

then retired, but soon after returned with some green boughs, which he

threw down, and retired a second time: It was not long, however, before

he appeared again, with about a dozen of the inhabitants, and putting

themselves in a supplicating posture, they all approached the pendant in

a slow pace; but the wind happening to move it, when they were got close

to it, they suddenly retreated with the greatest precipitation. After

standing some time at a distance, and gazing at it, they went away, but

in a short time came back, with two large hogs alive, which they laid

down at the foot of the staff, and at length, taking courage, they began

to dance. When they had performed this ceremony, they brought the hogs

down to the water-side, launched a canoe, and put them on board. The old

man, who had a large white beard, then embarked with them alone, and

brought them to the ship: When he came alongside, he made a set speech,

and afterwards handed in several green plantain-leaves, one by one,

uttering a sentence, in a solemn slow tone, with each of them as he

delivered it; after this he sent on board the two hogs, and then,

turning round, pointed to the land. I ordered some presents to be given

him, but he would accept of nothing; and soon after put off his canoe,

and went on shore.

[Footnote 52: This island is much better known by the name given it by

its inhabitants--Otaheite. The reader need scarcely to be informed that

a description of it, and an account of many interesting particulars

respecting it, must occupy no small place in the pages devoted to the

history of Cook's Voyages.--E.]

At night, soon after it was dark, we heard the noise of many drums, with

conchs, and other wind-instruments, and saw a multitude of lights all

along the coast. At six in the morning, seeing none of the natives on

shore, and observing that the pendant was taken away, which probably

they had learnt to despise, as the frogs in the fable did King Log, I

ordered the lieutenant to take a guard on shore, and, if all was well,

to send off, that we might begin watering: In a short time, I had the

satisfaction to find that he had sent off for water-casks, and by eight

o'clock, we had four tons of water on board. While our people were

employed in filling the casks, several of the natives appeared on the

opposite side of the river, with the old man whom the officer had seen

the day before; and soon after he came over, and brought with him a

little fruit, and a few fowls, which were also sent off to the ship. At

this time, having been very ill for near a fortnight, I was so weak that

I could scarcely crawl about; however, I employed my glasses to see what

was doing on shore. At near half an hour after eight o'clock, I

perceived a multitude of the natives coming over a hill at about the

distance of a mile, and at the same time a great number of canoes making

round the western point, and keeping close along the shore. I then

looked at the watering-place, and saw at the back of it, where it was

clear, a very numerous party of the natives creeping along behind the

bushes; I saw also many thousands in the woods, pushing along towards

the watering-place, and canoes coming very fast round the other point of

the bay to the eastward. Being alarmed at these appearances, I

dispatched a boat, to acquaint the officer on shore with what I had

seen, and order him immediately to come on board with his men, and leave

the casks behind him: He had, however, discovered his danger, and

embarked before the boat reached him. Having perceived the Indians that

were creeping towards him under shelter of the wood, he immediately

dispatched the old man to them, making signs that they should keep at a

distance, and that he wanted nothing but water. As soon as they

perceived that they were discovered, they began to shout, and advanced

with greater speed. The officer immediately repaired to the boats with

his people, and the Indians, in the mean time, having crossed the river,

took possession of the water-casks, with great appearance of exultation

and joy. The canoes now pulled along the shore, towards the place, with

the utmost expedition, all the people on land keeping pace with them,

except a multitude of women and children, who seated themselves upon a

hill which overlooked the bay and the beach. The canoes from each point

of the bay, as they drew nearer to that part of it where the ship was at

anchor, put on shore, and took in more men, who had great bags in their

hands, which afterwards appeared to be filled with stones. All the

canoes that had come round the points, and many others that had put off

from the shore within the bay, now made towards the ship, so that I had

no doubt but that they intended to try their fortune in a second attack.

As to shorten the contest would certainly lessen the mischief, I

determined to make this action decisive, and put an end to hostilities

at once; I therefore ordered the people, who were at all their quarters,

to fire first upon the canoes, which were drawn together in groups:

this was immediately done so effectually, that those which were to the

westward made towards the shore as fast as possible, and those to the

eastward, getting round the reef, were soon beyond the reach of oar

guns. I then directed the fire into the wood in different parts, which

soon drove the Indians out of it, who ran up the hill where the women

and children had seated themselves to see the battle. Upon this bill

there were now several thousands who thought themselves in perfect

security; but to convince them of the contrary, and hoping that when

they saw the shot fall much farther than they could think possible, they

would suppose it could reach them at any distance, I ordered some of the

guns to be let down as low as they would admit, and fired four shot

towards them. Two of the balls fell close by a tree where a great number

of these people were sitting, and struck them with such terror and

consternation, that in less than two minutes not one of them was to be

seen. Having thus cleared the coast, I manned and armed the boats, and

putting a strong guard on board, I sent all the carpenters with their

axes, and ordered them to destroy every canoe that had been run ashore.

Before noon, this service was effectually performed, and more than fifty

canoes, many of which were sixty feet long, and three broad, and lashed

together, were cut to pieces. Nothing was found in them but stones and

slings, except a little fruit, and a few fowls and hogs, which were on

board two or three canoes of a much smaller size.

At two o'clock in the afternoon, about ten of the natives came out of

the wood with green boughs in their hands, which they stuck up near the

water side, and retired. After a short time, they appeared again, and

brought with them several hogs, with their legs tied, which they placed

near the green boughs, and retired a second time. After this they

brought down several more hogs, and some dogs, with their fore-legs tied

over their heads, and going again into the woods, brought back several

bundles of the cloth which they use for apparel, and which has some

resemblance to Indian paper. These they placed upon the beach, and

called to us on board to fetch them away. As we were at the distance of

about three cables' length, we could not then perfectly discover of what

this peace-offering consisted: we guessed at the hogs and the cloth, but

seeing the dogs, with their fore-legs appearing over the hinder part of

the neck, rise up several times, and run a little way in an erect

posture, we took them for some strange unknown animal, and were very

impatient to have a nearer view of them. The boat was therefore sent on

shore with all expedition, and our wonder was soon at an end. Our people

found nine good hogs, besides the dogs and the cloth: the hogs were

brought off, but the dogs were turned loose, and with the cloth left

behind. In return for the hogs, our people left upon the shore some

hatchets, nails, and other things, making signs to some of the Indians

who were in sight, to take them away with their cloth. Soon after the

boat had come on board, the Indians brought down two more hogs, and

called to us to fetch them; the boat therefore returned, and fetched off

the two hogs, but still left the cloth, though the Indians made signs

that we should take it. Our people reported, that they had not touched

any of the things which they had left upon the beach for them, and

somebody suggesting that they would not take our offering because we had

not accepted their cloth, I gave orders that it should be fetched away.

The event proved that the conjecture was true, for the moment the boat

had taken the cloth on board, the Indians came down, and, with every

possible demonstration of joy, carried away all I had sent them into the

wood. Our boats then went to the watering-place, and filled and brought

off all the casks, to the amount of about six tons. We found that they

had suffered no injury while they had been in the possession of the

Indians, but some leathern buckets and funnels, which had been taken

away with the casks, were not returned.

The next morning I sent the boats on shore, with a guard, to fill some

more casks with water, and soon after the people were on shore, the same

old man who had come over the river to them the first day, came again to

the farther side of it, where he made a long speech, and then crossed

the water. When he came up to the waterers, the officer shewed him the

stones that were piled up like cannon balls upon the shore, and had been

brought thither since our first landing, and some of the bags that had

been taken out of the canoes, which I had ordered to be destroyed,

filled with stones, and endeavoured to make him understand that the

Indians had been the aggressors, and that the mischief we had done them

was in our own defence. The old man seemed to apprehend his meaning,

but not to admit it: he immediately made a speech to the people,

pointing to the stones, slings, and bags, with great emotion, and

sometimes his looks, gestures, and voice were so furious as to be

frightful. His passions, however, subsided by degrees, and the officer,

who, to his great regret, could not understand one word of all that he

had said, endeavoured to convince him, by all the signs he could devise,

that we wished to live in friendship with them, and were disposed to

shew them every mark of kindness in our power. He then shook hands with

him, and embraced him, giving him at the same time several such trinkets

as he thought would be most acceptable. He contrived also to make the

old man understand that we wished to traffic for provisions, that the

Indians should not come down in great numbers, and that they should keep

on one side of the river and we on the other. After this the old man

went away with great appearance of satisfaction, and before noon a trade

was established, which furnished us with hogs, fowls, and fruit in great

abundance, so that all the ship's company, whether sick or well, had as

much as they could use.

SECTION VI.

_The Sick sent on Shore, and a regular Trade established with the

Natives; some Account of their Character and Manners, of their Visits on

board the Ship, and a Variety of Incidents that happened during this

Intercourse_.

Matters being thus happily settled, I sent the surgeon, with the second

lieutenant, to examine the country, and fix upon some place where the

sick might take up their residence on shore. When they returned, they

said, that with respect to health and convenience, all the places they

had seen upon the island seemed to be equally proper; but that with

respect to safety, they could recommend none but the watering-place, as

they would be there under the protection of the ship and the guard, and

would easily be prevented from straggling into the country, and brought

off to their meals. To the watering-place therefore I sent them, with

those that were employed in filling the casks, and appointed the gunner

to command the party that was to be their guard. A tent was erected for

them as a shelter both from the sun and the rain, and the surgeon was

sent to superintend their conduct, and give his advice if it should be

wanted. It happened that walking out with his gun, after he had seen the

sick properly disposed of in the tent, a wild duck flew over his head,

which he shot, and it fell dead among some of the natives who were on

the other side of the river. This threw them into a panic, and they all

ran away; when they got to some distance they stopped, and he made signs

to them to bring the duck over: This one of them at last ventured to do,

and, pale and trembling, laid it down at his feet. Several other ducks

happening at the instant to fly over the spot where they were standing,

he fired again, and fortunately brought down three more. This incident

gave the natives such a dread of a gun, that if a musket was pointed at

a thousand of them, they would all run away like a flock of sheep; and

probably the ease with which they were afterwards kept at a distance,

and their orderly behaviour in their traffic, was in a great measure

owing to their having upon this occasion seen the instrument, of which

before they had only felt the effects.

As I foresaw that a private traffic would probably commence between such

of our people as were on shore, and the natives, and that if it was left

to their own caprice, perpetual quarrels and mischief would ensue, I

ordered that all matters of traffic should be transacted by the gunner

on behalf of both parties, and I directed him to see that no injury was

done to the natives, either by violence or fraud, and by all possible

means to attach the old man to his interest. This service he performed

with great diligence and fidelity, nor did he neglect to complain of

those who transgressed my orders, which was of infinite advantage to all

parties; for as I punished the first offenders with a necessary

severity, many irregularities, that would otherwise have produced the

most disagreeable consequences, were prevented: we were also indebted

for many advantages to the old man, whose caution kept our people

perpetually upon their guard, and soon brought back those who straggled

from the party. The natives would indeed sometimes pilfer, but by the

terror of a gun, without using it, he always found means to make them

bring back what was stolen. A fellow had one day the dexterity and

address to cross the river unperceived, and steal a hatchet; the gunner,

as soon as he missed it, made the old man understand what had happened,

and got his party ready, as if he would have gone into the woods after

the thief: the old man, however, made signs that he would save him the

trouble, and, immediately setting off, returned in a very short time

with the hatchet. The gunner then insisted that the offender should be

delivered up, and with this also the old man, though not without great

reluctance, complied. When the fellow was brought down, the gunner knew

him to be an old offender, and therefore sent him prisoner on board. I

had no intention to punish him otherwise, than by the fear of

punishment, and therefore, after great entreaty and intercession, I gave

him his liberty, and sent him on shore. When the natives saw him return

in safety, it is hard to say whether their astonishment or joy was

greatest; they received him with universal acclamations; and immediately

carried him off into the woods: the next day, however, he returned, and

as a propitiation to the gunner, he brought him a considerable quantity

of bread-fruit, and a large hog, ready roasted.

At this time, the people on board were employed in caulking and painting

the weather-work, over-hauling the rigging, stowing the hold, and doing

other necessary business; but my disorder, which was a bilious cholic,

increased so much, that this day I was obliged to take to my bed; my

first lieutenant also still continued very ill, and the purser was

incapable of his duty. The whole command devolved upon Mr Furneaux, the

second lieutenant, to whom I gave general directions, and recommended a

particular attention to the people on shore. I also ordered that fruit

and fresh provisions should be served to the ship's company as long as

they could be procured, and that the boats should never be absent from

the ship after sunset. These directions were fulfilled with such

prudence and punctuality, that during all my sickness I was not troubled

with any business, nor had the mortification to hear a single complaint

or appeal. The men were constantly served with fresh pork, fowls, and

fruit, in such plenty, that when I left my bed, after having been

confined to it near a fortnight, my ship's company looked so fresh and

healthy, that I could scarcely believe them to be the same people.

Sunday the 28th was marked by no incident; but on Monday the 29th, one

of the gunner's party found a piece of saltpetre near as big as an egg.

As this was an object of equal curiosity and importance, diligent

enquiry was immediately made from whence it came. The surgeon, asked

every one of the people on shore, separately, whether he had brought it

from the ship; every one on board also was asked whether he had carried

it on shore, but all declared that they had never had such a thing in

their possession. Application was then made to the natives, but the

meaning of both parties was so imperfectly conveyed by signs, that

nothing could be learnt of them about it: during our whole stay here,

however, we saw no more than this one piece.

While the gunner was trafficking for provisions on shore, we sometimes

hauled the seine, but we caught no fish; we also frequently trawled, but

with no better success: the disappointment, however, was not felt, for

the produce of the island enabled our people to "fare sumptuously every

day."

All matters continued in the same situation till the 2d of July, when,

our old man being absent, the supply of fresh provisions and fruit fell

short; we had, however, enough to serve most of the messes, reserving

plenty for the sick and convalescent.

On the 3d, we heeled the ship, and looked at her bottom, which we found

as clean as when she came out of dock, and, to our great satisfaction,

as sound. During all this time, none of the natives came near our boats,

or the ship, in their canoes. This day, about noon, we caught a very

large shark, and when the boats went to fetch the people on board to

dinner, we sent it on shore. When the boats were putting off again, the

gunner seeing some of the natives on the other side of the river,

beckoned them to come over; they immediately complied, and he gave them

the shark, which they soon cut to pieces, and carried away with great

appearance of satisfaction.

On Sunday the 5th, the old man returned to the market-tent, and made the

gunner understand that he had been up the country, to prevail upon the

people to bring down their hogs, poultry, and fruit, of which the parts

near the watering-place were now nearly exhausted. The good effects of

his expedition soon appeared, for several Indians, whom our people had

never seen before, came in with some hogs that were larger than any that

had been yet brought to market. In the mean time, the old man ventured

off in his canoe to the ship, and brought with him, as a present to me,

a hog ready roasted. I was much pleased with his attention and

liberality, and gave him, in return for his hog, an iron pot, a

looking-glass, a drinking-glass, and several other things, which no man

in the island was in possession of but himself.

While our people were on shore, several young women were permitted to

cross the river, who, though they were not averse to the granting of

personal favours, knew the value of them too well not to stipulate for a

consideration: The price, indeed, was not great, yet it was such as our

men were not always able to pay, and under this temptation they stole

nails and other iron from the ship. The nails that we brought for

traffic were not always in their reach, and therefore they drew several

out of different parts of the vessel, particularly those that fastened

the cleats to the ship's side. This was productive of a double mischief;

damage to the ship, and a considerable rise at market. When the gunner

offered, as usual, small nails for hogs of a middling size, the natives

refused to take them, and produced large spikes, intimating that they

expected such nails as these. A most diligent enquiry was set on foot to

discover the offenders, but all to no purpose; and though a large reward

was offered to procure intelligence, none was obtained. I was mortified

at the disappointment, but I was still more mortified at a fraud which I

found some of our people had practised upon the natives. When no nails

were to be procured, they had stolen lead, and cut it up in the shape of

nails. Many of the natives who had been paid with, this base money,

brought their leaden nails, with great simplicity, to the gunner, and

requested him to give them iron in their stead. With this request,

however reasonable, he could not comply; because, by rendering lead

current, it would have encouraged the stealing it, and the market would

have been as effectually spoiled by those who could not procure nails,

as by those who could; it was therefore necessary, upon every account,

to render this leaden currency of no value, though for our honour I

should have been glad to have called it in.

On Tuesday the 7th, I sent one of the mates, with thirty men, to a

village at a little distance from the market, hoping that refreshments

might there be bought at the original price; but here they were obliged

to give still more than at the water-side. In the mean time, being this

day able to get up for the first time, and the weather being fine, I

went into a boat, and rowed about four miles down the coast. I found the

country populous, and pleasant in the highest degree, and saw many

canoes on the shore; but not one came off to us, nor did the people seem

to take the least notice of us as we passed along. About noon I returned

to the ship.

The commerce which our men had found means to establish with the women

of the island, rendered them much less obedient to the orders that had

been given for the regulation of their conduct on shore, than they were

at first. I found it necessary therefore to read the articles of war,

and I punished James Proctor, the corporal of marines, who had not only

quitted his station, and insulted the officer, but struck the master at

arms such a blow as brought him to the ground.

The next day, I sent a party up the country to cut wood, and they met

with some of the natives, who treated them with great kindness and

hospitality. Several of these friendly Indians came on board in our

boat, and seemed, both by their dress and behaviour, to be of a superior

rank. To these people I paid a particular attention, and to discover

what present would most gratify them, I laid down before them a

Johannes, a guinea, a crown piece, a Spanish dollar, a few shillings,

some new halfpence, and two large nails, making signs that they should

take what they liked best. The nails were first seized, with great

eagerness, and then a few of the halfpence, but the silver and gold lay

neglected. Having presented them, therefore, with some nails and

halfpence, I sent them on shore superlatively happy.

From this time our market was very ill supplied, the Indians refusing to

sell provisions at the usual price, and making signs for large nails. It

was now thought necessary to look more diligently about the ship, to

discover what nails had been drawn; and it was soon round that all the

belaying cleats had been ripped off, and that there was scarcely one of

the hammock nails left. All hands were now ordered up, and I practised

every artifice I could think of to discover the thieves, but without

success. I then told them, that till the thieves were discovered, not a

single man should go on shore: This however produced no effect, except

that Proctor the corporal behaved in a mutinous manner, for which he was

instantly punished.

On Saturday the 11th, in the afternoon, the gunner came on board with a

tall woman, who seemed to be about five-and-forty years of age, of a

pleasing countenance and majestic department. He told me that she was

but just come into that part of the country, and that seeing great

respect paid her by the rest of the natives, he had made her some

presents; in return for which she had invited him to her house, which

was about two miles up the valley, and gave him some large hogs; after

which she returned with him to the watering-place, and expressed a

desire to go on board the ship, in which he had thought it proper, on

all accounts, that she should be gratified. She seemed to be under no

restraint, either from diffidence or fear, when she first came into the

ship; and she behaved, all the while she was on board, with an easy

freedom, that always distinguishes conscious superiority and habitual

command. I gave her a large blue mantle, that reached from her shoulders

to her feet, which I threw over her, and tied on with ribbands; I gave

her also a looking-glass, beads of several sorts, and many other things,

which she accepted with a very good grace, and much pleasure. She took

notice that I had been ill, and pointed to the shore. I understood that

she meant I should go thither to perfect my recovery, and I made signs

that I would go thither the next morning. When she intimated an

inclination to return, I ordered the gunner to go with her who, having

set her on shore, attended her to her habitation, which he described as

being very large and well built. He said, that in this house she had

many guards and domestics, and that she had another at a little

distance, which was enclosed in lattice-work.

The next morning I went on shore for the first time; and my princess, or

rather queen, for such by her authority she appeared to be, soon after

came to me, followed by many of her attendants. As she perceived that my

disorder had left me very weak, she ordered her people to take me in

their arms, and carry me not only over the river, but all the way to

her house; and observing that some of the people who were with me,

particularly the first lieutenant and purser, had also been sick, she

caused them also to be carried in the same manner, and a guard, which I

had ordered out upon the occasion, followed. In our way, a vast

multitude crowded about us, but upon her waving her hand, without

speaking a word, they withdrew, and left us a free passage. When we

approached near her house, a great number of both sexes came out to meet

her: These she presented to me, after having intimated by signs that

they were her relations, and taking hold of my hand, she made them kiss

it. We then entered the house, which covered a piece of ground 327 feet

long, and forty-two feet broad. It consisted of a roof, thatched with

palm leaves, and raised upon thirty-nine pillars on each side, and

fourteen in the middle. The ridge of the thatch, on the inside, was

thirty feet high, and the sides of the house, to the edge of the roof,

were twelve feet high; all below the roof being open. As soon as we

entered the house, she made us sit down, and then calling four young

girls, she assisted them to take off my shoes, draw down my stockings,

and pull off my coat, and then directed them to smooth down the skin,

and gently chafe it with their hands: The same operation was also

performed upon the first lieutenant and purser, but upon none of those

who appeared to be in health. While this was doing, our surgeon, who had

walked till he was very warm, took off his wig to cool and refresh

himself: A sudden exclamation of one of the Indians who saw it, drew the

attention of the rest, and in a moment every eye was fixed upon the

prodigy, and every operation was suspended: the whole assembly stood

some time motionless, in silent astonishment, which could not have been

more strongly expressed if they had discovered that our friend's limbs

had been screwed on to the trunk; in a short time, however, the young

women who were chafing us, resumed their employment, and having

continued it for about half an hour, they dressed us again, but in this

they were, as may easily be imagined, very awkward; I found great

benefit however, from the chafing, and so did the lieutenant and purser.

After a little time, our generous benefactress ordered some bales of

Indian cloth to be brought out, with which she clothed me, and all that

were with me, according to the fashion of the country. At first I

declined the acceptance of this favour, but being unwilling not to seem

pleased with what was intended to please me, I acquiesced. When we went

away, she ordered a very large sow, big with young, to be taken down to

the boat, and accompanied us thither herself. She had given directions

to her people to carry me, as they had done when I came, but as I chose

rather to walk, she took me by the arm, and whenever we came to a plash

of water or dirt, she lifted me over with as little trouble as it would

have cost me to have lifted over a child if I had been well.

The next morning I sent her by the gunner, six hatchets, six bill-hooks,

and several other things; and when he returned, he told me, that he

found her giving an entertainment to a great number of people, which, he

supposed, could not be less than a thousand. The messes were all brought

to her by the servants that prepared them, the meat being put into the

shells of cocoa-nuts, and the shells into wooden trays, somewhat like

those used by our butchers, and she distributed them with her own hands

to the guests, who were seated in rows round the great house. When this

was done, she sat down herself, upon a place somewhat elevated above the

rest, and two women, placing themselves one on each side of her, fed

her, she opening her mouth as they brought their hands up with the food.

When she saw the gunner, she ordered a mess for him; he could not

certainly tell what it was, but he believed it to be fowl picked small,

with apples cut among it, and seasoned with salt water; it was, however,

very well tasted. She accepted the things that I sent her, and seemed to

be much pleased with them. After this correspondence was established

with the queen, provisions of every kind became much more plenty at

market; but though fowls and hogs were every day brought in, we were

still obliged to pay more for them than at the first, the market having

been spoiled by the nails which our men had stolen and given to the

women; I therefore gave orders that every man should be searched before

he went on shore, and that no woman should be suffered to cross the

river.

On the 14th, the gunner being onshore to trade, perceived an old woman

on the other side of the river, weeping bitterly: When she saw that she

had drawn his attention upon her, she sent a young man, who stood by

her, over the river to him, with a branch of the plantain tree in his

hand. When he came up, he made a long speech, and then laid down his

bough at the gunner's feet: After this he went back and brought over the

old woman, another man at the same time bringing over two large fat

hogs. The woman looked round upon our people with great attention,

fixing her eyes sometimes upon one, and sometimes upon another, and at

last burst into tears. The young man who brought her over the river,

perceiving the gunner's concern and astonishment, made another speech,

longer than the first: Still, however, the woman's distress was a

mystery; but at length she made him understand that her husband, and

three of her sons, had been killed in the attack of the ship. During

this explanation, she was so affected, that at last she sunk down unable

to speak, and the two young men who endeavoured to support her, appeared

to be nearly in the same condition? They were probably two more of her

sons, or some very near relations. The gunner did all in his power to

sooth and comfort her, and when she had in some measure recovered her

recollection, she ordered the two hogs to be delivered to him, and gave

him her hand in token of friendship, but would accept nothing in return,

though he offered her ten times as much as would have purchased the hogs

at market.

The next morning, I sent the second lieutenant, with all the boats, and

sixty men, to the westward, to look at the country, and try what was to

be got. About noon he returned, having marched along the shore near six

miles. He found the country very pleasant and populous, and abounding as

well with hogs and fowls, as fruit, and other vegetables of various

kinds. The inhabitants offered him no molestation, but did not seem

willing to part with any of the provisions which our people were most

desirous to purchase: They gave them, however, a few cocoa-nuts and

plantains, and at length sold them nine hogs and a few fowls. The

lieutenant was of opinion, that they might be brought to trade freely by

degrees, but the distance from the ship was so great, that too many men

would be necessary for a guard. He saw a great number of very large

canoes upon the beach, and some that were building. He observed that all

their tools were made of stone, shells, and bone, and very justly

inferred, that they had no metal of any kind. He found no quadrupeds

among them, besides hogs and dogs, nor any earthen vessel, so that all

their food is either baked or roasted. Having no vessel in which water

could be subjected to the action of fire, they had no more idea that it

could be made hot, than that it could be made solid. As the queen was

one morning at breakfast with us on board the ship, one of her

attendants, a man of some note, and one of those that we thought were

priests, saw the surgeon fill the tea-pot by turning the cock of an urn

that stood upon the table: Having remarked this with great curiosity and

attention, he presently turned the cock, and received the water upon his

hand: As soon as he felt himself scalded, he roared out, and began to

dance about the cabin with the most extravagant and ridiculous

expressions of pain and astonishment: The other Indians not being able

to conceive what was the matter with him, stood staring at him in amaze,

and not without some mixture of terror. The surgeon, however, who had

innocently been the cause of the mischief, applied a remedy, though it

was some time before the poor fellow was easy.

On Thursday the 16th, Mr Furneaux, my second lieutenant, was taken very

ill, which distressed me greatly, as the first lieutenant was not yet

recovered, and I was still in a very weak state myself: I was this day

also obliged once more to punish Proctor, the corporal of marines, for

mutinous behaviour. The queen had now been absent several days, but the

natives made us understand, by signs, that the next day she would be

with us again.

Accordingly the next morning she came down to the beach, and soon after

a great number of people, whom we had never seen before, brought to

market provisions of every kind; and the gunner sent off fourteen hogs,

and fruit in great plenty.

In the afternoon of the next day, the queen came on, board, with a

present of two large hogs, for she never condescended to barter, and in

the evening she returned on shore. I sent a present with her, by the

master, and as soon as they landed, she took him by the hand, and having

made a long speech to the people that flocked round them, she led him to

her house, where she clothed him, as she had before done me, according

to the fashion of the country.

The next morning he sent off a greater quantity of stock than we had

ever procured in one day before; it consisted of forty-eight hogs and

pigs, four dozen of fowls, with bread-fruit, bananas, apples, and

cocoa-nuts, almost without number.

On the 20th, we continued to trade with good success, but in the

afternoon it was discovered that Francis Pinckney, one of the seamen,

had drawn the cleats to which the main sheet was belayed, and, after

stealing the spikes, thrown them overboard. Having secured the offender,

I called all the people together upon the deck, and after taking some

pains to explain his crime, with all its aggravations, I ordered that he

should be whipt with nettles, while he ran the gauntlet thrice round the

deck: My rhetoric, however, had very little effect, for most of the crew

being equally criminal with himself, he was handled so tenderly, that

others were rather encouraged to repeat the offence by the hope of

impunity, than deterred by the fear of punishment. To preserve the ship,

therefore, from being pulled to pieces, and the price of refreshments

from being raised so high as soon to exhaust our articles of trade, I

ordered that no man except the wooders and waterers, with their guard,

should be permitted to go on shore.

On the 21st, the queen came again on board, and brought several large

hogs as a present, for which, as usual, she would accept of no return.

When she was about to leave the ship, she expressed a desire that I

should go on shore with her, to which I consented, taking several of the

officers with me. When we arrived at her house, she made us all sit

down, and taking off my hat, she tied to it a bunch or tuft of feathers

of various colours, such as I had seen no person on shore wear but

herself, which produced by no means a disagreeable effect. She also tied

round my hat, and the hats of those who were with me, wreaths of braided

or plaited hair, and gave us to understand that both the hair and

workmanship were her own: She also presented us with some matts, that

were very curiously wrought. In the evening she accompanied us back to

the beach, and when we were getting into the boat, she put on board a

fine large sow, big with young, and a great quantity of fruit. As we

were parting, I made signs that I should quit the island in seven days:

She immediately comprehended my meaning, and made signs that I should

stay twenty days; that I should go two days journey into the country,

stay there a few days, bring down plenty of hogs and poultry, and after

that leave the island. I again made signs, that I must go in seven days;

upon which she burst into tears, and it was not without great

difficulty that she was pacified.

The next morning, the gunner sent off no less than twenty hogs, with

great plenty of fruit. Our decks were now quite full of hogs and

poultry, of which we killed only the small ones, and kept the other for

sea-stores; we found, however, to our great mortification, that neither

the fowls nor the hogs could, without great difficulty, be brought to

eat any thing but fruit, which made it necessary to kill them faster

than we should otherwise have done; two, however, a boar and a sow, were

brought alive to England, of which I made a present to Mr Stephens,

secretary to the Admiralty; the sow afterwards died in pigging, but the

boar was alive at the date of this publication.

On the 23d, we had very heavy rain, with a storm of wind that blew down

several trees on shore, though very little of it was felt where the ship

lay.

The next day, I sent the old man, who had been of great service to the

gunner at the market-tent, another iron pot, some hatchets and bills,

and a piece of cloth. I also sent the queen two turkies, two geese,

three Guinea hens, a cat big with kitten, some china, looking-glasses,

glass-bottles, shirts, needles, thread, cloth, ribbands, pease, some

small white kidney beans, called callivances, and about sixteen

different sorts of garden seeds, and a shovel, besides a considerable

quantity of cutlery wares, consisting of knives, scissars, billhooks,

and other things. We had already planted several sorts of the garden

seeds, and some pease in several places, and had the pleasure to see

them come up in a very flourishing state, yet there were no remains of

them when Captain Cook left the island. I sent her also two iron pots,

and a few spoons. In return for these things, the gunner brought off

eighteen hogs, and some fruit.

In the morning of the 25th, I ordered Mr Gore, one of the mates, with

all the marines, forty seamen, and four midshipmen, to go up the valley

by the river as high as they could, and examine the soil and produce of

the country, noting the trees and plants which they should find, and

when they saw any stream from the mountains, to trace it to its source,

and observe whether it was tinctured with any mineral or ore. I

cautioned them also to keep continually upon their guard against the

natives, and directed them to make a fire, as a signal, if they should

be attacked. At the same time I took a guard on shore, and erected a

tent on a point of land, to observe an eclipse of the sun, which, the

morning being very clear, was done with great accuracy.

Hours. Min. Sec.

The immersion began, by true time, at-- 6 51 50

The emersion, by true time, was at- - - 8 1 O

The duration of the eclipse was- - - - 1 9 10

The latitude of the point, on which the observation was made, was 17°

30'S., the sun's declination was 19° 40'N., and the variation of the

needle 5° 36' E.

After the observation was taken, I went to the queen's house, and shewed

her the telescope, which was a reflector. After she had admired its

structure, I endeavoured to make her comprehend its use, and fixing it

so as to command several distant objects, with which she was well

acquainted, but which could not be distinguished with the naked eye, I

made her look through it. As soon as she saw them, she started back with

astonishment, and, directing her eye as the glass was pointed, stood

some time motionless and silent; she then looked through the glass

again, and again sought in vain, with the naked eye, for the objects

which it discovered. As they by turns vanished and re-appeared, her

countenance and gestures expressed a mixture of wonder and delight which

no language can describe. When the glass was removed, I invited her, and

several of the chiefs that were with her, to go with me on board the

ship, in which I had a view to the security of the party that I had sent

out; for I thought that while the queen and the principal people were

known to be in my power, nothing would be attempted against any person

belonging to the ship on shore. When we got on board, I ordered a good

dinner for their entertainment, but the queen would neither eat nor

drink; the people that were with her eat very heartily of whatever was

set before them, but would drink only plain water.

In the evening our people returned from their excursion, and came down

to the beach, upon which I put the queen and her attendants into the

boats, and sent them on shore. As she was going over the ship's side,

she asked, by signs, whether I still persisted in my resolution of

leaving the island at the time I had fixed; and when I made her

understand that it was impossible I should stay longer, she expressed

her regret by a flood of tears, which for a while took away her speech.

As soon as her passion subsided, she told me that she would come on

board again the next day; and thus we parted.

SECTION VII.

_An Account of an Expedition to discover the Inland Part of the Country,

and our other Transactions, till we quitted the Island to continue our

Voyage_.

After the mate came on board, he gave me a written account of his

expedition, to the following effect:

"At four o'clock in the morning of Saturday the 25th of June, I landed,

with four midshipmen, a Serjeant and twelve marines, and twenty-four

seamen, all armed, besides four, who carried hatchets and other articles

of traffic, and four who were loaded with ammunition and provisions, the

rest being left with the boat: Every man had his day's allowance of

brandy, and the hatchet-men two small kegs, to give out when I should

think proper."

"As soon as I got on shore, I called upon our old man, and took him with

us: We then followed the course of the river in two parties, one

marching on each side. For the first two miles it flowed through a

valley of considerable width, in which were many habitations, with

gardens walled in, and abundance of hogs, poultry, and fruit; the soil

here seemed to be a rich fat earth, and was of a blackish colour. After

this the valley became very narrow, and the ground rising abruptly on

one side of the river, we were all obliged to march on the other. Where

the stream was precipitated from the hills, channels had been cut to

lead the water into gardens and plantations of fruit-trees: In these

gardens we found an herb which had never been brought down to the

water-side, and which we perceived the inhabitants eat raw. I tasted it,

and found it pleasant, its flavour somewhat resembling that of the West

Indian spinnage, called _Calleloor_, though its leaf was very different.

The ground was fenced off so as to make a very pretty appearance; the

bread-fruit and apple-trees were planted in rows on the declivity of the

hills, and the cocoa-nut and plantain, which require more moisture, on

the level ground: Under the trees, both on the sides and at the foot of

the hills, there was very good grass, but no underwood. As we advanced,

the windings of the stream became innumerable, the hills on each side

swelled into mountains, and vast crags every where projected over our

heads. Travelling now became difficult, and when we had proceeded about

four miles, the road for the last mile having been very bad, we sat down

to rest ourselves, and take the refreshment of our breakfast; we ranged

ourselves upon the ground under a large apple tree, in a very pleasant

spot; but just as we were about to begin our repast, we were suddenly

alarmed by a confused sound of many voices, and a great shouting, and

presently, afterwards saw a multitude of men, women, and children, upon

the hill above us; our old man seeing us rise hastily, and look to our

arms, beckoned to us to sit still, and immediately went up to the people

that had surprised us. As soon as he joined them they were silent, and

soon after disappeared; in a short time, however, they returned, and

brought with them a large hog ready roasted, with plenty of bread-fruit,

yams, and other refreshments, which they gave to the old man, who

distributed them among our people. In return for this treat, I gave them

some nails, buttons, and other things, with which they were greatly

delighted. After this we proceeded up the valley as far as we could,

searching all the runs of water, and all the places where water had run,

for appearances of metal or ore, but could find none, except what I have

brought back with me. I shewed all the people that we met with, the

piece of saltpetre which had been picked up in the island, and which I

had taken with me for that purpose, but none of them took any notice of

it, nor could I learn from them any thing about it. The old man began

now to be weary, and there being a mountain before us, he made signs

that he would go home: Before he left us, however, he made the people

who had so liberally supplied us with provisions, take the baggage, with

the fruit that had not been eaten, and some cocoa-nut shells full of

fresh water, and made signs that they should follow us up the side of

the mountain. As soon as he was gone, they gathered green branches from

the neighbouring trees, and with many ceremonies, of which we did not

know the meaning, laid them down before us: After this they took some

small berries with which they painted themselves red, and the bark of a

tree that contained a yellow juice, with which they stained their

garments in different parts. We began to climb the mountain while our

old man was still in sight, and he, perceiving that we made our way with

difficulty through the weeds and brush-wood, which grew very thick,

turned back, and said something to the natives in a firm loud tone; upon

which twenty or thirty of the men went before us, and cleared us a very

good path; they also refreshed us with water and fruit as we went along,

and assisted us to climb the most difficult places, which we should

otherwise have found altogether impracticable. We began to ascend this

hill at the distance of about six miles from the place where we landed,

and I reckoned the top of it to be near a mile above the river that runs

through the valley below. When we arrived at the summit, we again sat

down to rest and refresh ourselves. While we were climbing we flattered

ourselves that from the top we should command the whole island, but we

now saw mountains before us so much higher than our situation, that with

respect to them we appeared to be in a valley; towards the ship indeed

the view was enchanting: The sides of the hills were beautifuly clothed

with wood, villages were every where interspersed, and the vallies

between them afforded a still richer prospect; the houses stood thicker,

and the verdure was more luxuriant. We saw very few habitations above

us, but discovered smoke in many places ascending from between the

highest hills that were in sight, and therefore I conjectured that the

most elevated parts of the country are by no means without inhabitants.

As we ascended the mountain, we saw many springs gush from fissures on

the side of it, and when we had reached the summit, we found many houses

that we did not discover as we passed them. No part of these mountains

is naked; the summits of the highest that we could see were crowned with

wood, but of what kind I know not: Those that were of the same height

with that which we had climbed, were woody on the sides, but on the

summit were rocky and covered with fern. Upon the flats that appeared

below these, there grew a sedgy kind of grass and weeds: In general the

soil here, as well as in the valley, seemed to be rich. We saw several

bushes of sugar-cane, which was very large and very good, growing wild,

without the least culture. I likewise found ginger and turmerick, and

have brought samples of both, but could not procure seeds of any tree,

most of them being in blossom. After traversing the top of this mountain

to a good distance, I found a tree exactly like a fern, except that it

was 14 or 15 feet high. This tree I cut down, and found the inside of it

also like a fern: I would have brought a piece of it with me, but found

it too cumbersome, and I knew not what difficulties we might meet with

before we got back to the ship, which we judged to be now at a great

distance. After having recruited our strength by refreshment and rest,

we began to descend the mountain, being still attended by the people to

whose care we had been recommended by our old man. We kept our general

direction towards the ship, but sometimes deviated a little to the right

and left in the plains and vallies, when we saw any houses that were

pleasantly situated, the inhabitants being every where ready to

accommodate us with whatever they had. We saw no beasts except a few

hogs, nor any birds, except parrots, parroquets, and green doves; by the

river, however, there was plenty of ducks, and every place that was

planted and cultivated, appeared to flourish with great luxuriance,

though in the midst of what had the appearance of barren ground. I

planted the stones of peaches, cherries, and plumbs, with a great

variety of garden: seeds, where I thought it was most probable they

would thrive, and limes, lemons, and oranges, in situations which

resembled those in which they are found in the West Indies. In the

afternoon, we arrived at a very pleasant spot, within about three miles

of the ship, where we procured two hogs and some fowls, which the

natives dressed for us very well, and with great expedition. Here we

continued till the cool of the evening, and then made the best of our

way for the ship, having liberally rewarded our guides, and the people

who had provided us so good a dinner. Our men behaved through the whole

day with the greatest decency and order, and we parted with our Indian

friends in perfect good humour with each other."

About 10 o'clock the next morning, the queen came on board according to

her promise, with a present of hogs and fowls, but went on shore again

soon afterwards. This day, the gunner sent off near thirty hogs, with

great plenty of fowls and fruit. We completed our wood and water, and

got all ready for sea. More inhabitants came down to the beach, from the

inland country, than we had seen before, and many of them appeared, by

the respect that was paid them, to be of a superior rank. About three

o'clock in the afternoon, the queen came again down to the beach, very

well dressed, and followed by a great number of people. Having crossed

the river with her attendants and our old man, she came once more on

board the ship. She brought with her some very fine fruit, and renewed

her solicitation, that I would stay ten days longer, with great

earnestness, intimating that she would go into the country and bring me

plenty of hogs, fowls, and fruit. I endeavoured to express a proper

sense of her kindness and bounty, but assured her that I should

certainly sail the next morning. This, as usual, threw her into tears,

and after she recovered, she enquired by signs when I should return: I

endeavoured to express fifty days, and she made signs for thirty: But

the sign for fifty being constantly repeated, she seemed satisfied. She

stayed on board till night, and it was then with the greatest difficulty

that she could be prevailed upon to go on shore. When she was told that

the boat was ready, she threw herself down upon the arm-chest, and wept

a long time with an excess of passion that could not be pacified; at

last, however, though with great reluctance, she went into the boat, and

was followed by her attendants and the old man. The old man had often

intimated that his son, a lad about fourteen years of age, should go

with us, and the boy seemed to be willing: He had, however, now

disappeared for two days; I enquired after him when I first missed him,

and the old man gave me to understand that he was gone into the country

to see his friends, and would return time enough to go with us; but I

have reason to think that, when the time drew near, the father's courage

failed, and that to keep his child he secreted him till the ship was

gone, for we never saw him afterwards.

At break of day, on Monday the 27th, we unmoored, and at the same time I

sent the barge and cutter to fill the few water-casks that were now

empty. When they came near the shore, they saw, to their great surprise,

the whole beach covered with inhabitants, and having some doubt whether

it would be prudent to venture themselves among such a multitude, they

were about to pull back again for the ship. As soon as this was

perceived from the shore, the queen came forward, and beckoned them; at

the same time guessing the reason of what had happened, she made the

natives retire to the other side of the river; the boats then proceeded

to the shore, and filled the casks; in the mean time she put some hogs

and fruit on hoard, and when they were putting off would fain have

returned with them to the ship. The officer, however, who had received

orders to bring off none of the natives, would not permit her; upon

which she presently launched a double canoe, and was rowed off by her

own people. Her canoe was immediately followed by fifteen or sixteen

more, and all of them came up to the ship. The queen came on board, but

not being able to speak, she sat down and gave vent to her passion by

weeping. After she had been on board about an hour, a breeze springing

up, we weighed anchor and made sail. Finding it now necessary to return

into her canoe, she embraced us all in the most affectionate manner, and

with many tears; all her attendants also expressed great sorrow at our

departure. Soon after it fell calm, and I sent the boats a-head to tow,

upon which all the canoes returned to the ship, and that which had the

queen on board came up to the gunroom port, where her people made it

fast. In a few minutes she came into the bow of her canoe, where she sat

weeping with inconsolable sorrow. I gave her many things which I thought

would be of great use to her, and some for ornament; she silently

accepted of all, but took little notice of any thing. About 10 o'clock

we were got without the reef, and a fresh breeze springing up, our

Indian friends, and particularly the queen, once more bade us farewell,

with such tenderness of affection and grief, as filled both my heart and

my eyes.[53]

At noon, the harbour from which we sailed bore S.E. 1/2 E. distant about

twelve miles. It lies in latitude 17° 30' S., longitude 150° W., and I

gave it the name of Port Royal Harbour.

[Footnote 53 1: Of this queen, as Captain W. calls her, the reader will

see more particulars in the account of Cook's visit to this island. Her

name was Oberea. She was wife to Oammo, who governed the greater part of

Otaheite in behalf of his son, according to the custom of the place; but

at the time of Wallis's arrival, she cohabited with Toopäea, a native of

Ulietëa, and remarkable among these islanders for his wisdom and

information.--E.]

SECTION VIII.

_A more particular Account of the Inhabitants of Otaheite, and of their

domestic Life, Manners, and Arts_.

Having lain off this island from the 24th of June to the 27th of July, I

shall now give the best account of its inhabitants, with their manners

and arts, that I can; but having been in a very bad state of health the

whole time, and for great part of it confined to my bed, it will of

necessity be much less accurate and particular than I might otherwise

have made it.

The inhabitants of this island are a stout, well-made, active, and

comely people. The stature of the men, in general, is from five feel

seven to five feet ten inches, though a few individuals are taller, and

a few shorter; that of the women from five feet to five feet six. The

complexion of the men is tawney, but those that go upon the water are

much redder than those who live on shore. Their hair in general is

black, but in some it is brown, in some red, and in others flaxen, which

is remarkable, because the hair of all other natives of Asia, Africa,

and America, is black, without a single exception. It is generally tied

up, either in one bunch, in the middle of the head, or in two, one on

each side, but some wear it loose, and it then curls very strongly: In

the children of both sexes it is generally flaxen. They have no combs,

yet their hair is very neatly dressed, and those who had combs from us,

made good use of them. It is a universal custom to anoint the head with

cocoa-nut oil, in which a root has been scraped that smells something

like roses. The women are all handsome, and some of them extremely

beautiful. Chastity does not seem to be considered as a virtue among

them, for they not only readily and openly trafficked with our people

for personal favours, but were brought down by their fathers and

brothers for that purpose: They were, however, conscious of the value of

beauty, and the size of the nail that was demanded for the enjoyment of

the lady, was always in proportion to her charms. The men who came down

to the side of the river, at the same time that they presented the girl,

shewed a stick of the size of the nail that was to be her price, and if

our people agreed, she was sent over to them, for the men were not

permitted to cross the river. This commerce was carried on a

considerable time before the officers discovered it, for while some

straggled a little way to receive the lady, the others kept a look-out.

When I was acquainted with it, I no longer wondered that the ship was in

danger of being pulled to pieces for the nails and iron that held her

together, which I had before puzzled myself to account for in vain, the

whole ship's company having daily as much fresh provision and fruit as

they could eat. Both men and women are not only decently but gracefully

clothed, in a kind of white cloth, that is made of the bark of a shrub,

and very much resembles coarse China paper. Their dress consists of two

pieces of this cloth: One of them, a hole having been made in the middle

to put the head through hangs down from the shoulders to the mid leg

before and behind; another piece, which is between four and five yards

long, and about one yard broad, they wrap round the body in a very easy

manner. This cloth is not woven, but is made, like paper, of the

macerated fibres of an inner bark spread out and beaten together. Their

ornaments are feathers, flowers, pieces of shells, and pearls: The

pearls are worn chiefly by the women, from whom I purchased about two

dozen of a small size: They were of a good colour, but were all spoiled

by boring. Mr Furneaux saw several in his excursion to the west, but he

could purchase none with any thing he had to offer. I observed, that it

was here a universal custom both for men and women to have the hinder

part of their thighs and loins marked very thick with black lines in

various forms. These marks were made by striking the teeth of an

instrument, somewhat like a comb, just through the skin, and rubbing

into the punctures a kind of paste made of soot and oil, which leaves an

indelible stain. The boys and girls under twelve years of age are not

marked: But we observed a few of the men whose legs were marked in

chequers by the same method, and they appeared to be persons of superior

rank and authority. One of the principal attendants upon the queen

appeared much more disposed to imitate our manners than the rest; and

our people, with whom he soon became a favourite, distinguished him by

the name of Jonathan. This man, Mr Furneaux clothed completely in an

English dress, and it sat very easy upon him. Our officers were always

carried on shore, it being shoal water where we landed, and Jonathan,

assuming new state with his new finery, made some of his people carry

him on shore in the same manner. He very soon attempted to use a knife

and fork at his meals, but at first, when he had stuck a morsel upon his

fork, and tried to feed himself with that instrument, he could not guide

it, but by the mere force of habit his hand came to his mouth, and the

victuals at the end of the fork went away to his ear.

Their food consists of pork, poultry, dog's flesh, and fish,

bread-fruit, bananas, plantains, yams, apples, and a sour fruit, which,

though not pleasant by itself, gives an agreeable relish to roasted

bread-fruit, with which it is frequently beaten up. They have abundance

of rats, but, as far as I could discover, these make no part of their

food. The river affords them good mullet, but they are neither large nor

in plenty. They find conchs, mussels, and other shellfish on the reef,

which they gather at low-water, and eat raw with bread-fruit before they

come on shore. They have also very fine cray-fish, and they catch with

lines, and hooks of mother-of-pearl, at a little distance from the

shore, parrrot-fish, groopers, and many other sorts, of which they are

so fond that we could seldom prevail upon them to sell us a few at any

price. They have also nets of an enormous size, with very small meshes,

and with these they catch abundance of small fish about the size of

sardines; but while they were using both nets and lines with great

success, We could not catch a single fish with either. We procured some

of their hooks and lines, but for want of their art we were still

disappointed.

The manner in which they dress their food is this: They kindle a fire by

rubbing the end of one piece of dry wood, upon the side of another, in

the same manner as our carpenters whet a chissel; then they dig a pit

about half a foot deep, and two or three yards in circumference: They

pave the bottom with large pebble stones, which they lay down very

smooth and even, and then kindle a fire in it with dry wood, leaves, and

the husks of the cocoa-nut. When the stones are sufficiently heated,

they take out the embers, and rake up the ashes on every side; then they

cover the stones with a layer of green cocoa-nut tree leaves, and wrap

up the animal that is to be dressed in the leaves of the plantain; if it

is a small hog they wrap it up whole; if a large one they split it. When

it is placed in the pit, they cover it with the hot embers, and lay upon

them bread-fruit and yams, which are also wrapped up in the leaves of

the plantain: Over these they spread the remainder of the embers, mixing

among them some of the hot stones, with more cocoa-nut tree leaves upon

them, and then close all up with earth, so that the heat is kept in.

After a time proportioned to the size of what is dressing, the oven is

opened, and the meat taken out, which is tender, full of gravy, and, in

my opinion, better in every respect than when it is dressed any other

way. Excepting the fruit, they have no sauce but salt water, nor any

knives but shells, with which they carve very dexterously, always

cutting from them. It is impossible to describe the astonishment they

expressed when they saw the gunner, who, while he kept the market, used

to dine on shore, dress his pork and poultry by boiling them in a pot.

Having, as I have before observed, no vessel that would bear the fire,

they had no idea of hot water or its effects: But from the time that the

old man was in possession of an iron pot, he and his friends eat boiled

meat every day. The iron pots which I afterwards gave to the queen and

several of the chiefs, were also in constant use, and brought as many

people together, as a monster or a puppet-show in a country fair. They

appeared to have no liquor for drinking but water, and to be happily

ignorant of the art of fermenting the juice of any vegetable, so as to

give it an intoxicating quality: They have, as has been already

observed, the sugar-cane, but they seemed to make no other use of it

than to chew, which they do not do habitually, but only break a piece

off when they happen to pass by a place where it is growing.

Of their domestic life and amusements, we had not sufficient opportunity

to obtain much knowledge; but they appear sometimes to have wars with

each other, not only from their weapons, but the scars with which many

of them were marked, and some of which appeared to be the remains of

very considerable wounds, made with stones, bludgeons, or some other

obtuse weapon: By these scars also they appear to be no inconsiderable

proficients in surgery, of which indeed we happened to have more direct

evidence. One of our seamen, when he was on shore, run a large splinter

into his foot, and the surgeon being on board, one of his comrades

endeavoured to take it out with a penknife; but after putting the poor

fellow to a good deal of pain, was obliged to give it over. Our good old

Indian, who happened to be present, then called over one of his

countrymen that was standing on the opposite side of the river, who,

having looked at the seaman's foot, went immediately down to the beach,

and, taking up a shell, broke it to a point with his teeth; with this

instrument, in little more than a minute, he laid open the place, and

extracted the splinter; in the mean time the old man, who, as soon as he

had called the other over, went a little way into the wood, returned

with some gum, which he applied to the wound upon a piece of the cloth

that was wrapped round him, and in two days time it was perfectly

healed. We afterward learned that this gum was produced by the apple

tree, and our surgeon procured some of it, and used it as a vulnerary

balsam with great success.

The habitations of these happy people I have described already; and

besides these, we saw several sheds inclosed within a wall, on the

outside of which there were several uncouth figures of men, women, hogs,

and dogs, carved on posts, that were driven into the ground. Several of

the natives were from time to time seen to enter these places, with a

slow pace and dejected countenance, from which we conjectured that they

were repositories of the dead. The area within the walls of these places

was generally well paved with large round stones, but it appeared not to

be much trodden, for the grass every where grew up between them. I

endeavoured with particular attention to discover whether they had a

religious worship among them, but never could find the least traces of

any.