" November, or ducks and other water-fowl between buQies of reeds,
where not one of us could ever perceive them.
The weather, which was warm and pleafant, facilitated
our zoological refearches, fo that we brought home a number
of birds in the evening.
away f The firft intelligence which we received from the fhore
.the next day, was a complaint againft- the- natives, who
had ftolen during the night, a watch-coat from the wa-
terers tent, and a bag filled with linen. The captain immediately
went into the cove, where the favages had taken
up their quarters, which was only feparated by a fingle hill
from our watering-place, and to which he had given the
■ name of Indian Cove. Here he addreffed himfelf- to thetr
chief Teiratu, who fent for the ftolen goods, and returned
them without hefitation, pretending that the theft was committed
without his knowledge. Our people were politic
enough to believe him on his word, becaufe -the addrefs of
his countrymen had hitherto fupplied us with abundance of
fiih, for a very moderate compenfation of Taheitee cloth;
whilft we caught them but very fparingly. In this place
they found one of the fows, which captain Furneaux had
left in Canibal Cove ; and Teiratu being queftioned concerning
its two companions, pointed to different quarters of
the bay, whither he faid they had been carried. Thus by
•feparating the animals, and dividing them as a fpoil, thefe
barbarians effectually deftroy the poflibility of propagating
■ .thethe
fpecies. Too much occupied with the wants of the pre-
fent moment, they overlook the only means o f. fecuring a
certain livelihood to themfelves, and rejeft every attempt to
civilize them.
They were joined by a itrong party on the 6 th in the
afternoon, who came from various parts of the bay, with
a great quantity of f i f l i , and abundance of their clothes,
arms, &c. which they exchanged for Taheitee cloth. In
the evening they retired to a beach oppofite the Ihip, where
they hauled their canoes afhore, made fome temporary huts,
lighted fires, and broiled fome fifli for their fuppers. Early
the next morning looking about us, we found they were
all gone off, not excepting thofe who had lived at the Indian
Cove. We were at a lofs to guefs the reafon of .their hidden
departure, till we perceived that they had taken away
fix fmail calks from our watering-place, probably for the
fake'of the iron-hoops. It is/, certain, that by fupplying'us
with fiih for another day, they would have ^received three
or four times the value of this iron, manufactured for their
ufe; but we have already obferved that they are not much
troubled with reflections, and probably value a bird in hand
more than two in a buih. We were the greateft fufferers
on this occafion, being now reduced to catch fifli for our-
felves, though we could not fpare a fufficient number of
hands, and were not acquainted with the haunts of ;the
.fifties as well as the natives. Our people were occupied
¥ o l - I- S s s ' in
1771- .
November.
Saturday $,
Sunday yj