1773-
September
we returned on fhore, where we difperfed in featch of
plants and other curiofities. In the evening we all met
together again, when Dr. Sparrman, who had been entirely
by himfelf towards the north point of the ifle, acquainted
us that he had met with a large lagoon of falt-water,
which extended feveral miles parallel to the coaft, and had
an intolerable flench on account of the putrid mud which
lay on its fliores. Here he had met with feveral plants,
which are common enough in the ifles and coafts of the
Eaft Indies, but not fo frequent in other parts of the South
Sea iflands. A Angle native, whom he had entrufted with
his plant-bag, had proved extremely faithful to him. Whenever
the doctor fat down to defcribe, the native feated himfelf
behind him, and took both the fkirts of his coat, containing
his pockets, in his hand, in order, as he faid, to
prevent the thieves from coming at them. By this means
the do&or had not loft any thing when he came bn board ;
feveral of the natives, however, feeming to think him in
their power, had bellowed upon him fome ill-natured looks
and opprobrious names.
The next day he ventured out again entirely by himfelf,
while we remained at the trading-place with captain Cook.
One of the natives, named Tubai, a tall man, drefled in feveral
large pieces of the cloth of bark, ftained with red,
and. who had feveral bundles of birds feather's hanging at
his girdle, prohibited the fa-le of hogs and bread-fruit, and
aftually
actually feized a bag of nails which the captain’s clerk Sej
held in his hand. However, when the latter called for
afliftance, he let it go again, and perceiving one of our
young gentlemen trying to ftrike a bargain for a large
fowl, he took a nail from him by force, and threatened to
beat him with his club. A complaint being made to captain
Cook, juft as he was going aboard in a boat, he returned
aftiore, and bid Tubai to leave the place. Upon
his refufal, the captain went up to him and feized two
large clubs which the native had in his hand; but the
latter ftruggled with him, till captain Cook drew hi3 hanger,
on which he made off. The clubs, which were made of
the cafuarina wood, were broken and the pieces thrown
into the fea, by the captain’s order, while he recalled the
reft of the natives, who began to be alarmed, and were
preparing to leave the trading-place. They all agreed that
this Tubai was a bad man, (tata-eem,) and feemed to think
that we had done him juftice.. However, as captain Cook
was going to fend his boat on board for a party of
marines to protect our traders, the whole croud difperfed
at once and left us alone. We had not been above two
minutes at a lofs to account for their behaviour, when Dr,
Sparrman arrived almoft ftripped naked, and with the
marks of feveral violent blows. He had been accofted on
his walk by two of the natives, who had invited him to
proceed farther into the country, with many proteftations.
of