1773*
Se p t em b e r
tian oratory we were matters of, endeavoured to footh them
into content and good humour. The women, in particular,
fliewed a great fenfibility, and could not recover for a long
while. At laft we fucceeded» to appeafe their violence of
grief; and, as fome of us could not behold their diftrefs,
without admiring the excellence of their hearts, we naturally
fympathized with them, with a degree of fincerity which
entirely regained their confidence. It is indeed one of the
happieft refle&ions which this voyage has enabled us to
make, that inftead of finding the inhabitants of thefe ifles
wholly plunged in fenfuality, as former voyagers have
falfely reprefented them, we have met with the moft generous
and exalted fentiments among them, that do honour
to the human race in general. Vicious characters are to
be met with in all focieties of men ; but for one villain in
thefe ifles, we can {hew at leaft fifty in England, or any civilized
country.
In a little time the trade went on as brifldy as ever, and
we were particularly fortunate in obtaining a fupply of
vegetables. Towards evening two of Oree’s meflengers arrived
with the hanger and a part of Dr. Sparrman s waift-
coat, which were reftored to him, and with thefe foon after
we returned on board.
In the morning, at day-break, the captains went to
Oree’s houfe, and returned the piece of pewter on which
the commemoration of the firft difcovery was engraved..
At
At the fame time they gave him a piece of copper, with this Sep
infcription: h i s b r i t a n n i c k m a j e s t y ’s s h i p s r e s o l u t
i o n a n d a d v e n t u r e , Se p t e m b e r 1 7 7 3 - which they
added a number of medals, and defired him to {hew it to
any ftrangers that happened to touch here. As foon as
they were on board again, the feamen hove the anchor,
and we got under fail, in company with the Adventure.
The quantity of live flock which we had purchafed during
our three days flay was amazing, and {hewed how great a
value the natives had fet upon our iron-work. The Refo-
lution alone had two hundred and nine live hogs, thirty
dogs, and about fifty fowls on board, when {he failed, and
the Adventure had not much left. We were fcarce got under
way when Oree arrived along-fide in a fmall canoe,
and came on board ; he acquainted us that the robbers, and
the things they had carried off, were taken, and defired
both the captains, as well as Dr. Sparrman, to come on
fhore, in order to fee the villains puniflied. But unfortunately
his ftory was mifunderftood, and we loft an opportunity
of feeing their method of inflidling punilhments.
Captain Cook believing that Oree fpoke of fome of his
countrymen who were embarked in the Adventure againft
his will, immediately difpatched his boat to bring them
back; but that veffel being a great way ahead, and we
driving out to fea very faft, Oree became impatient, took
a cordial leave of us all, and returned on fhore in his little
D d d 2 canoe,