wm- in this- good woman’s behaviour, which I had not often experienced
in thofe numerous inftances of hofpitality, daily-
obvious to the ftranger in the South Sea iflands. It is a moft
convincing proof of the excellence of the human heart, in
its fimple Rate, before ambition, luxury, and various other
pallions have corrupted it..
»rrdajtja. We Raid on board the next day till the afternoon, and*
then went alhore with captain Cook to a long houfe, which
was a common receptacle, or carvanfera, for many families,
who travelled thither in ordered to be near us. We-
found feveral inferior chiefs there ; but Gree was gone to a
diffèrent part of the ifland. After converfing with them for
fome time, feveral natives arrived, who brought an account
that our firft and fécond lieutenant, with one of the
mates, had been ftripped by feveral robbers. A great number
of the inhabitants immediately fled, and all who remained
expreffed ftrong marks of fear. We could not colt-
left with certainty, from the information of different people,
whether our officers had been beaten or killed ; the Ta-
heitian word, matte, expreffing both thefe ideas.- We were
however foon relieved from this flate of fufpenfe, by the appearance
of the gentlemen, perfeftly fafe, with their arms
and cloaths. They informed-us, that having been fhooting
near the lagoons, they had been attacked unawares by fome
of the natives, who, upon their refufing to part with their
fowling-pieces, had beaten them,, and wrefted thofe arms
out;
out of their hands ; that a chief happening to pafs by jv«-
during the ftruggle, had come to their affiftance, and had
effefted the recovery of every article which had been taken
from them. We returned on board together, and obferved
that the natives forfook the adjacent country. The next
morning early, Mahine, who had flept on ffiore, brought a
meffage from Oree to captain Cook, importing that there
were thirteen offenders, whom he could not punifli without
the captain’s affiftance: he requefted him therefore
to fend twenty-two armed men, which he expreffed by the
fame number of fmall flicks, and promifed to join them
with fome of his own warriors, who Ihould go out to chaf-
tife the rebels. Captain Cook went on ffiore with Mahine,
in order to be more fully affured of Oree’s intention; but
not underftanding enough of the language, he received very
little intelligence. As foon as he returned on board, he
confulted with the officers ; and, on this occafion, tbe fecond
lieutenant ingenuoufly confeffed that they themfelves had
been the aggreffors, and had drawn upon them the fevere revenge
which the natives had taken. One of them having
ffiot a couple of ducks in the lagoon, defired a native, who
attended him, to fetch them out of the water. The man,
who had repeatedly done him this good office before,
refufed to ferve as a fpaniel any longer. Our officer
heat him, however, till he went in, and worked himfelf
through the mud with great agility, in a motion between
R 2 ' fwimming