Au*Zg7u3s*t-
Friday -
beads and other prefents- The captains to evade their
endlefe importunities went on fhore to the tents, and thither
we accompanied, them in order to fee what natural productions
the country afforded. Another excurfion of the
fame kind was made in the afternoon, but as both were:
confined to aa inconfiderable diftance, our difcoveries only,
confifted of a. few plants, and. birds which we had not feem
at Aitepeha..
The next morning, very, early, a number- of canoes,
came to the fhip from Earre, and in one of. the fmalleft,.
the king in perfion brought many prefents to captain Cook..
A live hog, a very large fifh called a cavalha (/comber, bipposjy
and an albecore ready drefled,, about four feet long, with
many bafkets of palm-leaves, containing bread-fruit and
bananas, were handed up to the deck fuccelfively. Captain«
Cook flood on the fhip’s fide, entreating his majefty to,
come on. board,. but he did not fiir from, his feat,, till am
immenfe quantity of the beft cloth of- the. country, had
been wrapped round the captain, enc-reafing his bulk to-
a prodigious dimenfion, After this ceremony, Too,, with
a countenance which betrayed a good deal of diffidence^
ventured to come upon, the quarter-deck, and embraced
the captain, who- in conjunction with, his officers and
ourfelves, devifed all poflible means to quiet thefe appre-
henfions. Our quarter-deck was now fo crouded with the-
king’s relations,, that he was requefted to come into the
cabin;
cabin ; but the defcent between decks was fo hazardous A“':,°5S,T'
an enterprize according to his ideas, that he could by no
means be prevailed on to attempt it, till he had fent down
his brother,, a fine active youth about fixteen years of age,
who plaGed a perfect confidence in us. Having reconnoitred
the cabin, and finding, it to his liking, he
made his report accordingly to the king, who immediately
ventured down. He received a great number-
e f valuable prefents from captain Cook, who began to
find himfelf very warm under his load of cloth. The
principal people accompanied his majefty into the cabin,
but they crouded-in fo faft, that it was almoft impof-
fible to ftir for them. Every one of thefe, as I- have already
mentioned,, chofe his particular friend amongft us,
and reciprocal gifts fealed every new connection. Captain-
Eurneaux being, arrived on board, we took an opportunity
of fitting down to our breakfaft, when they feemed perfectly
eafy, having prevailed on them to- feat themfelves on-
chairs, which ftruck them with their novelty and convenience.
The king paid great attention to our breakfaft,,
which was a mixture of Englifh and Taheitian provilions,,
and was much furprifed to fee us drink hot-water *, and eat.
bread-fruit with oilf. Though he could not be perfuaded:
to tafte our food, feveral of his attendants- were not fo cautious,
but eat and drank very heartily of whatever we fet;
#- f ; Butter,.
before