a pleafure in converfing with them, as well as they could,
for hours, together. It appears this kind of familiar inter-
courfe fuited their difpofition, for they foon became fo intimate
as to impart to their new friends a tale, of which
the particulars were of the utmoft importance to us. They
related, that an European vefiel had put into the harbour
fome time a g o ; but that in a quarrel with the inhabitants,
all her people had been killed and eaten. This intelligence
alarmed us greatly, as we apprehended that this veflel was
moft probably the Adventure. The natives were repeatedly
queftioned, and in every converfation we difcovered fome
additional circumftances, by which the fadt was more
clearly eftabliflied. At laft, however, obferving that our
enquiries on this fubjedl were frequently repeated, they
refolved to give us no farther information, and by threats
flopped fhort one of their own brethren, who had been prevailed
upon to fpeak once more on the fubjedl. Captain
Cook being very defirous of obtaining fome certainty concerning
the fate of the Adventure, called Peeterre and another
native into the cabin, both of whom denied that any
harm had been done to the Europeans. We made two
pieces of paper, to reprefent the two Ihips, and drew the
figure of the Sound on a larger piece ; then drawing the
two fhips into the Sound, and out of it again, as often as
they had touched at and left it, including our laft departure,
we flopped a while, and at laft proceeded to bring our
Clip
{hip in again : but the natives interrupted us, and taking octobe*.
up the paper which reprefented the Adventure, they brought
it into the harbour, and drew it out again, counting on
their fingers how many moons fhe had been gone. This
circumftance gave us two-fold pleafure, fince at the fame
time that we were perfuaded our confort had fafely failed
from hence, we had room to admire the fagacity of the natives.
Still, however, there was fomething myftenous in
the former accounts, which intimated that fome Europeans
were killed ; and we continued to doubt whether we had
rightly underftood this part of their converfation, till we received
more certain intelligence at our return to the Cape of
Good Hope. Here we learnt that our confort had loft a boat
with ten men at New Zeeland. Some account of this melancholy
event will, I hope, not be unwelcome to my readers, as I {hall
occafidnally compare the ftory of the natives with the reports
of our fellow-voyagers. It appears that captain Furneaux,
after feparating from us, was obliged, on the 9th of November
177 3, to put into Tolaga Bay i on the northern ifle.
of New Zeeland, where he lay till the . 6th. He then failed
towards Queen Charlotte s Sound, where he arrived on the
30th, a few days after our departure. O-Mai, the native
of Raietea, whom he had on board, told me he was the firft
who found the infcription on the tree, under which our
bottle was buried. He pointed it out to the captain, and
* See the chart of New Zeeland, in Hawkefworth,. vol. ft.
V O L . II. N D 11
the