_An Intercourse established with the Natives; some Account of the Island,
and a Variety of Incidents that happened during our Stay at it._
August 1774
As we wanted to take in a large quantity both of wood and water, and as,
when I was on shore, I had found it practicable to lay the ship much nearer
the landing-place than she now was, which would greatly facilitate that
work, as well as overawe the natives, and enable us better to cover and
protect the working party on shore; with this view, on the 6th, we went to
work to transport the ship to the place I designed to moor her in. While we
were about this, we observed the natives assembling from all parts, and
forming themselves into two parties, as they did the preceding evening, one
on each side the landing-place, to the amount of some thousands, armed as
before. A canoe, sometimes conducted by one, and at other times by two or
three men, now and then came off, bringing a few cocoa-nuts or plantains.
These they gave us without asking for any return; but I took care they
should always have something. Their chief design seemed to invite us on
shore. One of those who came off was the old man, who had already
ingratiated himself into our favour. I made him understand, by signs, that
they were to lay aside their weapons, took those which were in the canoe,
and threw them overboard, and made him a present of a large piece of cloth.
There was no doubt but he understood me, and made my request known to his
countrymen. For as soon as he landed, we observed him to go first to the
one party, and then to the other; nor was he, ever after, seen by us with
any thing like a weapon in his hand. After this, three fellows came in a
canoe under the stern, one of them brandishing a club, with which he struck
the ship's side, and committed other acts of defiance, but at last offered
to exchange it for a string of beads, and some other trifles. These were
sent down to him by a line; but the moment they were in his possession, he
and his companions paddled off in all haste, without giving the club or any
thing else in return. This was what I expected, and indeed what I was not
sorry for, as I wanted an opportunity to shew the multitude on shore, the
effect of our fire arms, without materially hurting any of them. Having a
fowling-piece loaded with small shot (No. 3) I gave the fellow the
contents; and, when they were above musquet-shot off, I ordered some of the
musquetoons, or wall-pieces, to be fired, which made them leap out of the
canoe, keep under her offside, and swim with her ashore. This transaction
seemed to make little or no impression on the people there. On the
contrary, they began to halloo, and to make sport of it.
After mooring the ship, by four anchors, with her broadside to the
landing-place, hardly musquet-shot off, and placing our artillery in such a
manner as to command the whole harbour, I embarked with the marines, and a
party of seamen, in three boats, and rowed in for the shore. It hath been
already mentioned, that the two divisions of the natives were drawn up on each
side the landing-place. They had left a space between them of about thirty or
forty yards, in which were laid, to the most advantage, a few small bunches
of plantains, a yam, and two or three roots. Between these and the water
were stuck upright in the sand, for what purpose I never could learn, four
small reeds, about two feet from each other, in a line at right angles to
the shore, where they remained for two or three days after. The old man
before-mentioned, and two more, stood by these things, inviting us, by
signs, to land; but I had not forgot the trap I was so near being caught in
at the last island; and this looked something like it. We answered, by
making signs for the two divisions to retire farther back, and give us more
room. The old man seemed to desire them so to do, but no more regard was
paid to him than to us. More were continually joining them, and, except two
or three old men, not one unarmed. In short, every thing conspired to make
us believe they meant to attack us as soon as we should be on shore; the
consequence of which was easily supposed; many of them must have been
killed and wounded, and we should hardly have escaped unhurt; two things I
equally wished to prevent. Since, therefore, they would not give us the
room required, I thought it was better to frighten them into it, than to
oblige them by the deadly effect of our fire-arms. I accordingly ordered a
musquet to be fired over the party on our right, which was by far the
strongest body; but the alarm it gave them was momentary. In an instant
they recovered themselves and began to display their weapons. One fellow
shewed us his backside, in a manner which plainly conveyed his meaning.
After this I ordered three or four more musquets to be fired. This was the
signal for the ship to fire a few great guns, which presently dispersed
them; and then we landed, and marked out the limits, on the right and left,
by a line. Our old friend stood his ground, though deserted by his two
companions, and I rewarded his confidence with a present. The natives came
gradually to us, seemingly in a more friendly manner; some even without
their weapons, but by far the greatest part brought them; and when we made
signs to lay them down, they gave us to understand that we must lay down
ours first. Thus all parties stood armed. The presents I made to the old
people, and to such as seemed to be of consequence, had little effect on
their conduct. They indeed climbed the cocoa-nut trees, and threw us down
the nuts, without requiring any thing for them; but I took care that they
should always have somewhat in return. I observed that many were afraid to
touch what belonged to us; and they seemed to have no notion of exchanging
one thing for another. I took the old man (whose name we now found to be
Paowang) to the woods, and made him understand, I wanted to cut down some
trees to take on board the ship; cutting some down at the same time, which
we put into one of our boats, together with a few small casks of water,
with a view of letting the people see what it was we chiefly wanted.
Paowang very readily gave his consent to cut wood; nor was there any one
who made the least objection. He only desired the cocoa-nut trees might not
be cut down. Matters being thus settled, we embarked and returned on board
to dinner, and, immediately after, they all dispersed. I never learnt that
any one was hurt by our shot, either on this or the preceding day; which
was a very happy circumstance. In the afternoon having landed again, we
loaded the launch with water, and having made three hauls with the seine,
caught upwards of three hundred pounds of mullet and other fish. It was
some time before any of the natives appeared, and not above twenty or
thirty at last, amongst whom was our trusty friend Paowang, who made us a
present of a small pig, which was the only one we got at this isle, or that
was offered to us.
During the night the volcano, which was about four miles to the west of us,
vomited up vast quantities of fire and smoke, as it had also done the night
before; and the flames were seen to rise above the hill which lay between
us and it. At every eruption it made a long rumbling noise like that of
thunder, or the blowing up of large mines. A heavy shower of rain, which
fell at this time, seemed to increase it; and the wind blowing from the
same quarter, the air was loaded with its ashes, which fell so thick that
every thing was covered with the dust. It was a kind of fine sand, or
stone, ground or burnt to powder, and was exceedingly troublesome to the
eyes.
Early in the morning of the 7th, the natives began again to assemble near
the watering-place, armed as usual, but not in such numbers as at first.
After breakfast, we landed, in order to cut wood and fill water. I found
many of the islanders much inclined to be friends with us, especially the
old people; on the other hand, most of the younger were daring and
insolent, and obliged us to keep to our arms. I staid till I saw no
disturbance was like to happen, and then returned to the ship, leaving the
party under the command of Lieutenants Clerke and Edgcumbe. When they came
on board to dinner, they informed me that the people continued to behave in
the same inconsistent manner as in the morning; but more especially one
man, whom Mr Edgcumbe was obliged to fire at, and believed he had struck
with a swan shot. After that the others behaved with more discretion; and
as soon as our people embarked they all retired. While we were sitting at
dinner an old man came on board, looked into many parts of the ship, and
then went ashore again.
In the afternoon, only a few of those who lived in the neighbourhood, with
whom we were now upon a tolerable footing, made their appearance at the
watering-place. Paowang brought us an axe which had been left by our
people, either in the woods or on the beach, and found by some of the
natives. A few other articles were afterwards returned to us, which either
they had stolen, or we had lost by our negligence, so careful were they now
not to offend us in this respect.
Early the next morning, I sent the launch, protected by a party of marines
in another boat, to take in ballast, which was wanted. This work was done
before breakfast; and after it, she was sent for wood and water, and with
her the people employed in this service, under the protection of a
serjeant's guard, which was now thought sufficient, as the natives seemed
to be pretty well reconciled to us. I was told, that they asked our people
to go home with them, on condition they stripped naked as they were. This
shews that they had no design to rob them, whatever other they might
have.
On the 9th, I sent the launch for more ballast, and the guard and wooders
to the usual place. With these I went myself, and found a good many of the
natives collected together, whose behaviour, though armed, was courteous
and obliging; so that there was no longer any occasion to mark out the
limits by a line; they observed them without this precaution. As it was
necessary for Mr Wales's instruments to remain on shore all the middle of
the day, the guard did not return to dinner, as they had done before, till
relieved by others. When I came off, I prevailed on a young man, whose name
was Wha-a-gou, to accompany me. Before dinner I shewed him every part of
the ship; but did not observe that any thing fixed his attention a moment,
or caused in him the least surprise. He had no knowledge of goats, dogs, or
cats, calling them all hogs (_Booga_ or _Boogas_). I made him a
present of a dog and a bitch, as he shewed a liking to that kind of animal.
Soon after he came on board, some of his friends followed in a canoe, and
enquired for him, probably doubtful of his safety. He looked out of the
quarter gallery, and having spoken to them, they went ashore, and quickly
returned with a cock, a little sugar-cane, and a few cocoa-nuts, as a
present to me. Though he sat down with us, he did but just taste our salt
pork, but eat pretty heartily of yam, and drank a glass of wine. After
dinner I made him presents, and then conducted him, ashore.
As soon as we landed, the youth and some of his friends took me by the
hand, with a view, as I understood, to conduct me to their habitations. We
had not gone far, before some of them, for what reason I know not, were
unwilling I should proceed; in consequence of which the whole company
stopped; and, if I was not mistaken, a person was dispatched for something
or other to give me; for I was desired to sit down and wait, which I
accordingly did. During this interval, several of our gentlemen passed us,
at which they shewed great uneasiness, and importuned me so much to order
them back, that I was at last obliged to comply. They were jealous of our
going up the country, or even along the shore of the harbour. While I was
waiting here, our friend Paowang came with a present of fruit and roots,
carried by about twenty men; in order, as I supposed, to make it appear the
greater. One had a small bunch of plantains, another a yam, a third a
cocoa-nut, etc.; but two men might have carried the whole with ease. This
present was in return for something I had given him in the morning;
however, I thought the least I could do now, was to pay the porters.
After I had dispatched Paowang, I returned to Wha-a-gou and his friends,
who were still for detaining me. They seemed to wait with great impatience
for something, and to be unwilling and ashamed to take away the two dogs,
without making me a return. As night was approaching, I pressed to be gone;
with which they complied, and so we parted.
The preceding day, Mr Forster learnt from the people the proper name of the
island, which they call Tanna; and this day I learnt from them the names of
those in the neighbourhood. The one we touched at last is called Erromango;
the small isle, which we discovered the morning we landed here, Immer; the
Table island to the east, discovered at the same time, Erronan or Footoona;
and an island which lies to the S.E. Annattom. All these islands are to be
seen from Tanna.
They gave us to understand, in a manner which I thought admitted of no
doubt, that they eat human flesh, and that circumcision was practised among
them. They began the subject of eating human flesh, of their own accord, by
asking us if we did; otherwise I should never have thought of asking them
such a question. I have heard people argue, that no nation could be
cannibals, if they had other flesh to eat, or did not want food; thus
deriving the custom from necessity. The people of this island can be under
no such necessity; they have fine pork and fowls, and plenty of roots and
fruits. But since we have not actually seen them eat human flesh, it will
admit of doubt with some, whether they are cannibals.
When I got on board, I learnt that, when the launch was on the west side of
the harbour taking in ballast, one of the men employed in this work, had
scalded his fingers in taking a stone up out of some water. This
circumstance produced the discovery of several hot springs, at the foot of
the cliff, and rather below high-water mark.
This day Mr Wales, and two or three of the officers advanced a little, for
the first time, into the island. They met with a small straggling village,
the inhabitants of which treated them with great civility; and the next
morning Mr Forster and his party made another excursion inland. They met
with several fine plantations of plantains, sugar-canes, yams, etc.; and the
natives were courteous and civil. Indeed, by this time, the people,
especially those in our neighbourhood, were so well reconciled to us, that
they shewed not the least dislike at our rambling about in the skirts of
the woods, shooting, etc. In the afternoon some boys having got behind
thickets, and having thrown two or three stones at our people who were
cutting wood, they were fired at by the petty officers present on duty.
Being ashore at that time, I was alarmed at hearing the report of the
musquets, and seeing two or three boys run out of the wood. When I knew the
cause I was much displeased at so wanton an use being made of our fire-arms,
and took measures to prevent it for the future. Wind southerly, with
heavy showers of rain.
During the night, and also all the 11th, the volcano was exceedingly
troublesome, and made a terrible noise, throwing up prodigious columns of
fire and smoke at each explosion, which happened every three or four
minutes; and, at one time, great stones were seen high in the air. Besides
the necessary work of wooding and watering, we struck the main-top-mast to
fix new trestle-trees and back-stays. Mr Forster and his party went up the
hill on the west side of the harbour, where he found three places from
whence smoke of a sulphureous smell issued, through cracks and fissures in
the earth. The ground about these was exceedingly hot, and parched or
burnt, and they seemed to keep pace with the volcano; for, at every
explosion of the latter, the quantity of smoke or steam in these was
greatly increased, and forced out so as to rise in small columns, which we
saw from the ship, and had taken for common fires made by the natives. At
the foot of this hill are the hot-springs before mentioned.
In the afternoon, Mr Forster having begun his botanical researches on the
other side of the harbour, fell in with our friend Paowang's house, where
he saw most of the articles I had given him, hanging on the adjoining trees
and bushes, as if they were not worthy of being under his roof.
On the 12th, some of the officers accompanied Mr Forster to the hot places
he had been at the preceding day. A thermometer placed in a little hole
made in one of them, rose from 80, at which it stood in the open air, to
170. Several other parts of the hill emitted smoke or steam all the day,
and the volcano was unusually furious, insomuch that the air was loaded
with its ashes. The rain which fell at this time was a compound of water,
sand, and earth; so that it properly might be called showers of mire.
Whichever way the wind was, we were plagued with the ashes; unless it blew
very strong indeed from the opposite direction. Notwithstanding the natives
seemed well enough satisfied with the few expeditions we had made in the
neighbourhood, they were unwilling we should extend them farther. As a
proof of this, some undertook to guide the gentlemen when they were in the
country, to a place where they might see the mouth of the volcano. They
very readily embraced the offer; and were conducted down to the harbour,
before they perceived the cheat.
The 13th, wind at N.E., gloomy weather. The only thing worthy of note this
day was, that Paowang being at dinner with us on board, I took the
opportunity to shew him several parts of the ship, and various articles, in
hopes of finding out something which they might value, and be induced to
take from us in exchange for refreshments; for what we got of this kind was
trifling. But he looked on every thing that was shewn him with the utmost
indifference; nor did he take notice of any one thing, except a wooden
sand-box, which he seemed to admire, and turned it two or three times over
in his hand.
Next morning after breakfast, a party of us set out for the country, to try
if we could not get a nearer and better view of the volcano. We went by the
way of one of those hot smoking places before mentioned, and dug a hole in
the hottest part, into which a thermometer of Fahrenheit's construction was
put; and the mercury presently rose to 100°. It remained in the hole two
minutes and a half without either rising or falling. The earth about this
place was a kind of white clay, had a sulphureous smell, and was soft and
wet, the surface only excepted, over which was spread a thin dry crust,
that had upon it some sulphur, and a vitriolic substance, tasting like
alum. The place affected by the heat was not above eight or ten yards
square; and near it were some fig-trees, which spread their branches over
part of it, and seemed to like their situation. We thought that this
extraordinary heat was caused by the steam of boiling water, strongly
impregnated with sulphur. I was told that some of the other places were
larger than this; though we did not go out of the road to look at them, but
proceeded up the hill through a country so covered with trees, shrubs, and
plants, that the bread-fruit and cocoa-nut trees, which, seem to have been
planted here by nature, were, in a manner, choaked up. Here and there we
met with a house, some few people, and plantations. These latter we found
in different states, some of long standing, others lately cleared, and some
only clearing, and before any thing had been planted. The clearing of a
piece of ground for plantation, seemed to be a work of much labour,
considering the tools they had to work with, which, though much inferior to
those at the Society Isles, are of the same kind. Their method is, however,
judicious, and as expeditious as it can well be. They lop off the small
branches of the large trees, dig under the roots, and there burn the
branches and small shrubs and plants which they root up. The soil, in some
parts, is a rich black mould; in other parts, it seemed to be composed of
decayed vegetables, and of the ashes the volcano sends forth throughout all
its neighbourhood. Happening to turn out of the common path, we came into a
plantation where we found a man at work, who, either out of good-nature, or
to get us the sooner out of his territories, undertook to be our guide. We
followed him, accordingly, but had not gone far before we came to the
junction of two roads, in one of which stood another man with a sling and a
stone, which he thought proper to lay down when a musquet was pointed at
him. The attitude in which we found him, the ferocity appearing in his
looks, and his behaviour after, convinced us that he meant to defend the
path he stood in. He, in some measure, gained his point, for our guide took
the other road, and we followed, but not without suspecting he was leading
us out of the common way. The other man went with us likewise, counting us
several times over, and hallooing, as we judged, for assistance; for we
were presently joined by two or three more, among whom was a young woman
with a club in her hand. By these people we were conducted to the brow of a
hill, and shewn a road leading down to the harbour, which they wanted us to
take. Not choosing to comply, we returned to that we had left, which we
pursued alone, our guide refusing to go with us. After ascending another
ridge, as thickly covered with wood as those we had come over, we saw yet
other hills between us and the volcano, which seemed as far off as at our
first setting out. This discouraged us from proceeding farther, especially
as we could get no one to be our guide. We therefore came to a resolution
to return; and had but just put this in execution when we met between
twenty and thirty people, whom the fellow before mentioned had collected
together, with a design, as we judged, to oppose our advancing into the
country; but as they saw us returning they suffered us to pass unmolested.
Some of them put us into the right road, accompanied us down the hill, made
us stop by the way, to entertain us with cocoa-nuts, plantains, and
sugar-cane; and what we did not eat on the spot, they brought down the hill
with us. Thus we found these people hospitable, civil, and good-natured, when
not prompted to a contrary conduct by jealousy; a conduct I cannot tell how
to blame them for, especially when I considered the light in which they
must view us. It was impossible for them to know our real design; we enter
their ports without their daring to oppose; we endeavour to land in their
country as friends, and it is well if this succeeds; we land, nevertheless,
and maintain the footing we have got, by the superiority of our fire-arms.
Under such circumstances, what opinion are they to form of us? Is it not as
reasonable for them to think that we are come to invade their country, as
to pay them a friendly visit? Time, and some acquaintance with us, can only
convince them of the latter. These people are yet in a rude state; and, if
we may judge from circumstances and appearances, are frequently at war, not
only with their neighbours, but among themselves; consequently must be
jealous of every new face. I will allow there are some exceptions to this
rule to be found in this sea; but there are few nations who would willingly
suffer visitors like us to advance far into their country.
Before this excursion, some of us had been of opinion that these people
were addicted to an unnatural passion, because they had endeavoured to
entice some of our men into the woods; and, in particular, I was told, that
one who had the care of Mr Forster's plant bag, had been once or twice
attempted. As the carrying of bundles, etc. is the office of the women in
this country, it had occurred to me, and I was not singular in this, that
the natives might mistake him and some others for women. My conjecture was
fully verified this day. For this man, who was one of the party, and
carried the bag as usual, following me down the hill, by the words which I
understood of the conversation of the natives, and by their actions, I was
well assured that they considered him as a female; till, by some means,
they discovered their mistake, on which they cried out, "Erramange!
Erramange!" "It is a man! It is a man!" The thing was so palpable, that
every one was obliged to acknowledge, that they had before mistaken his
sex: and that, after they were undeceived, they seemed not to have the
least notion of what we had suspected. This circumstance will shew how
liable we are to form wrong conjectures of things, among people whose
language we are ignorant of. Had it not been for this discovery, I make no
doubt that these people would have been charged with this vile custom.
In the evening I took a walk with some of the gentlemen into the country on
the other side of the harbour, where we had very different treatment from
what we had met with in the morning. The people we now visited, among whom
was our friend Paowang, being better acquainted with us, shewed a readiness
to oblige us in every thing in their power. We came to the village which
had been visited on the 9th. It consisted of about twenty houses, the most
of which need no other description than comparing them to the roof of a
thatched house in England, taken off the walls and placed on the ground.
Some were open at both ends, others partly closed with reeds, and all were
covered with palm thatch. A few of them were thirty or forty feet long, and
fourteen or sixteen broad. Besides these, they have other mean hovels,
which, I conceived, were only to sleep in. Some of these stood in a
plantation, and I was given to understand, that in one of them lay a dead
corpse. They made signs that described sleep, or death; and circumstances
pointed out the latter. Curious to see all I could, I prevailed on an
elderly man to go with me to the hut, which was separated from the others
by a reed fence, built quite round it at the distance of four or five feet.
The entrance was by a space in the fence, made so low as to admit one to
step over. The two sides and one end of the hut were closed or built up in
the same manner, and with the same materials, as the roof. The other end
had been open, but was now well closed with mats, which I could not prevail
on the man to remove, or suffer me to do it. There hung at this end of the
hut a matted bag or basket, in which was a piece of roasted yam, and some
sort of leaves, all quite fresh. I had a strong desire to see the inside of
the hut but the man was peremptory in refusing this, and even shewed an
unwillingness to permit me to look into the basket. He wore round his neck,
fastened to a string, two or three locks of human hair; and a woman present
had several about her neck. I offered something in exchange for them, but
they gave me to understand they could not part with them, as it was the
hair of the person who lay in the hut. Thus I was led to believe that these
people dispose of their dead in a manner similar to that of Otaheite. The
same custom of wearing the hair is observed by the people of that island,
and also by the New Zealanders. The former make tamau of the hair of their
deceased friends, and the latter make ear-rings and necklaces of their
teeth.
Near most of their large houses were fixed, upright in the ground, the
stems of four cocoa-nut trees, in a square position, about three feet from
each other. Some of our gentlemen who first saw them, were inclined to
believe they were thus placed on a religious account; but I was now
satisfied that it was for no other purpose but to hang cocoa-nuts on to
dry. For when I asked, as well as I could, the use of them, a man took me
to one, loaded with cocoa-nuts from the bottom to the top; and no words
could have informed me better. Their situation is well chosen for this use,
as most of their large houses are built in an open airy place, or where the
wind has a free passage, from whatever direction it blows. Near most, if
not all of them, is a large tree or two, whose spreading branches afford an
agreeable retreat from the scorching sun. This part of the island was well
cultivated, open and airy; the plantations were laid out by line, abounding
wilh plantains, sugar-canes, yams and other roots, and stocked with
fruit-trees. In our walk we met with our old friend Paowang, who, with some
others, accompanied us to the water side, and brought with them, as a
present, a few yams and cocoa-nuts.
On the 15th, having finished wooding and watering, a few hands only were on
shore making brooms, the rest being employed on board setting up the
rigging, and putting the ship in a condition for sea. Mr Forster, in his
botanical excursion this day, shot a pigeon, in the craw of which was a
wild nutmeg. He took some pains to find the tree, but his endeavours were
without success. In the evening a party of us walked to the eastern sea-shore,
in order to take the bearing of Annattom, and Erronan or Footoona.
The horizon proved so hazy that I could see neither; but one of the natives
gave me, as I afterwards found, the true direction of them. We observed
that in all, or most of their sugar plantations, were dug holes or pits,
four feet deep, and five or six in diameter; and on our enquiring their
use, we were given to understand that they caught rats in them. These
animals, which are very destructive to the canes, are here in great plenty.
The canes, I observed, were planted as thick as possible round the edge of
these pits, so that the rats in coming at them are the more liable to
tumble in.
Next morning we found the tiller sprung in the rudder head, and, by some
strange neglect, we had not a spare one on board, which we were ignorant of
till now it was wanting. I knew but of one tree in the neighbourhood fit
for this purpose, which I sent the carpenter on shore to look at, and an
officer, with a party of men, to cut it down, provided he could obtain
leave of the natives; if not, he was ordered to acquaint me. He understood
that no one had any objection, and set the people to work accordingly. But
as the tree was large, this required some time; and, before it was down,
word was brought me that our friend Paowang was not pleased. Upon this I
gave orders to desist, as we found that, by scarfing a piece to the inner
end of the tiller, and letting it farther into the rudder-head, it would
still perform its office. But as it was necessary to have a spare one on
board, I went on shore, sent for Paowang, made him a present of a dog and a
piece of cloth, and then explained to him that our great steering paddle
was broken, and that I wanted that tree to make a new one. It was easy to
see how well pleased every one present was, with the means I took to obtain
it. With one voice they gave their consent, Paowang joining his also, which
he perhaps could not have done without the others; for I do not know that
he had either more property, or more authority, than the rest. This point
being obtained, I took our friend on board to dinner, and after it was
over, went with him ashore, to pay a visit to an old chief, who was said to
be king of the island; which was a doubt with me. Paowang took little or no
notice of him. I made him a present, after which he immediately went away,
as if he got all he came for. His name was Geogy, and they gave him the
title of Areeke. He was very old, but had a merry open countenance. He wore
round his waist a broad red-and-white chequered belt, the materials and
manufacture of which seemed the same as that of Otaheite cloth; but this
was hardly a mark of distinction. He had with him a son, not less than
forty-five or fifty years of age. A great number of people were at this
time at the landing-place, most of them from distant parts. The behaviour
of many was friendly; while others were daring and insolent, which I
thought proper to put up with, as our stay was nearly at an end.
On the 17th, about ten o'clock, I went ashore, and found in the crowd old
Geogy and his son, who soon made me understand that they wanted to dine
with me; and accordingly I brought them and two more on board. They all
called them Areekees (or kings); but I doubt if any of them had the least
pretensions to that title over the whole island. It had been remarked, that
one of these kings had not authority enough to order one of the people up
into a cocoa-nut tree, to bring him down some nuts. Although he spoke to
several, he was at last obliged to go himself, and, by way of revenge, as
it was thought, left not a nut on the tree, taking what he wanted himself,
and giving the rest to some of our people.
When I got them on board, I went with them all over the ship, which they
viewed with uncommon surprise and attention. We happened to have for their
entertainment a kind of pie or pudding made of plantains, and some sort of
greens which we had got from one of the natives. On this and on yams they
made a hearty dinner; for, as to the salt beef and pork, they would hardly
taste them. In the afternoon, having made each of them a present of a
hatchet, a spike-nail, and some medals, I conducted them ashore.
Mr Forster and I then went over to the other side of the harbour, and,
having tried, with Fahrenheit's thermometer, the head of one of the hot
springs, we found that the mercury rose to 191°. At this time the tide was
up within two or three feet of the spring, so that we judged, it might, in
some degree, be cooled by it. We were mistaken however, for on repeating
the experiment next morning, when the tide was out, the mercury rose no
higher than 187°; but, at another spring, where the water bubbled out of
the sand from under the rock at the S.W. corner of the harbour, the mercury
in the same thermometer rose to 202°-1/2, which is but little colder than
boiling water. The hot places before mentioned are from about three to four
hundred feet perpendicular above these springs, and on the slope of the
same ridge with the volcano; that is, there are no vallies between them,
but such as are formed in the ridge itself; nor is the volcano on the
highest part of the ridge, but on the S.E. side of it. This is, I have been
told, contrary to the general opinion of philosophers, who say that
volcanos must be on the summits of the highest hills. So far is this from
being the case on this island, that some of its hills are more than double
the height of that on which the volcano is, and close to it. To these
remarks I must add, that, in wet or moist weather, the volcano was most
violent. There seems to be room for some philosophical reasoning on these
phenomena of nature; but not having any talent that way, I must content
myself with stating facts as I found them, and leave the causes to men of
more abilities.
The tiller was now finished; but, as the wind was unfavourable for sailing,
the guard was sent on shore on the 19th as before, and a party of men to
cut up and bring off the remainder of the tree from which we had got the
tiller. Having nothing else to do, I went on shore with them, and finding a
good number of the natives collected about the landing-place as usual, I
distributed among them all the articles I had with me, and then went on
board for more. In less than an hour I returned, just as our people were
getting some large logs into the boat. At the same time four or five of the
natives stepped forward to see what we were about, and as we did not allow
them to come within certain limits, unless to pass along the beach, the
centry ordered them, back, which they readily complied with. At this time,
having my eyes fixed on them, I observed the sentry present his piece (as I
thought at these men,) and was just going to reprove him for it, because I
had observed that, whenever this was done, some of the natives would hold
up their arms, to let us see they were equally ready. But I was astonished
beyond measure when the sentry fired, for I saw not the least cause. At
this outrage most of the people fled; it was only a few I could prevail on
to remain. As they ran off, I observed one man to fall; and he was
immediately lifted up by two others, who took him into the water, and
washed his wound, and then led him off. Presently after, some came and
described to me the nature of his wound; and as I found he was not carried
far, I sent for the surgeon. As soon as he arrived, I went with him to the
man, whom, we found expiring. The ball had struck his left arm, which was
much shattered, and then entered his body by the short ribs, one of which
was broken. The rascal who fired, pretended that a man had laid an arrow
across his bow, and was going to shoot at him, so that he apprehended
himself in danger. But this was no more than they had always done, and with
no other view than to shew they were armed as well as we; at least I have
reason to think so, as they never went farther. What made this incident the
more unfortunate was, it not appearing to be the man who bent the bow, that
was shot, but one who stood by him. This affair threw the natives into the
utmost consternation; and a few that were prevailed on to stay, ran to the
plantations and brought cocoa-nuts, etc. which they laid down at our feet.
So soon, were those daring people humbled! When I went on board to dinner,
they all retired, and only a few appeared in the afternoon, amongst whom
were Paowang and Wha-a-gou. I had not seen this young man since the day he
had dined on board. Both he and Paowang promised to bring me fruit, etc. the
next morning, but our early departure put it out of their power.