40 2
„ ’7n- ns a tree, on which he had hung about a dozen coco-nut
{hells, filled with frefh water, that element being to all appearance
rather fcarce in the country. We emptied fome
of thefe cups, and made him a prefent of a bit of Taheitee
cloth, with which he feemed to be well pleafed. From
hence we proceeded to the watering place, fome by land,
and fome in the boat. We Ihot fome curious birds by the
way, with which the country abounds ; and among the reft
a fpecies of crow, which is common in Europe. At the
watering-place we found a confiderable number of natives,
fome of whom, for a little rag of Taheitee cloth, carried
our people into and out of their boats about forty yards,
the water being too {hallow for boats at that diftance from
the fliore. Here we alfo faw fome women, who, far from
exprefling any dread of the jealoufy of their men, came
among the croud, and fometimes amufed themfelves in
encouraging the propofals of our feamen. They commonly
beckoned them to come into the bu£hes, but as foon
as the failors followed, they gave them the flip, and ran
with fuch agility, that they could not be overtaken. Thus
they took pleafure in difappointing their new adorers, and
laughed very heartily as often as they had put their little
arts in practice. There was not a Angle inftance, during
our flay upon the ifland, of their ever having condefcended
to permit any indecent familiarity from an European ; an
-innocent recreation, which fliewed them good humoured,
and
and not deftitute of ingenuity, was what they ftritftly adhered
to.
The captain’s clerk purchafed a fiftt on fliore, for a piece
of Taheitee cloth, from one of the natives, who had killed
it with a fpear. As loon as he came on board, he fent it
to the captain ; and as I found it to be a new fpecies, I
made a drawing and defcription of it. It was of the genus,
by Linnasus named tetraodon, of which feveral fpecies are
reckoned poifonous. We hinted this circumflance to cap.
tain Cook, efpecially as the ugly fhape, and large head of
the fifh, were greatly in its disfavour; but he told us he
had eaten this identical fort of fifli on the coaft of New
Holland, during his former voyage, without the leaf! bad
confequences. It was accordingly preferved for the next
day, and we fat down very chearful, in expectation of a
frefli meal. At fupper the liver of this fifli was ferved up,
which was very large and oily. For this reafon the captain,
my father, and myfelf eat only a morfel or two of it, and
thought it had no other bad tafte,- than what arofe from the
oil. Our meflmate, Dr. Sparrman, fortunately did not
touch it. We went to bed upon this fomewhat early, intending
to revifit the fliore at day break; but at three
o’clock in the morning, my father awaking, found himfelf
extremely giddy, and his hands and feet entirely, as it were,
benumbed. He got up, and was fcarcely able to Hand.
He came into the fteerage, where Dr. Sparrman flept, and
F f f 2 ac-
1774-'
September*