1770. and upon our enquiring for what purpofe it had been fet up,
* we were told that it was a monument for a man who was
We ne' 2+J dead : we had before underdood that their dead were not buried,
but thrown into the fea j but to our enquiry how the
body of the man had been difpofed of, to whofe memory
this crofs had been eredted, they refufed to anfwer.
When we left thefe people, we went to the other end of
the ifland, and there taking water, eroded over to the main,
where we faw feveral houfes, but no inhabitants, except a,
few in fome draggling canoes, that feemed to be fifhing.
After viewing this place, we returned on board the fhip to
dinner.
During our vifit to the Indians this day, Tupia being al-.
ways of our party, they had been obferved to be continually
talking of guns, and Ihooting people: for this fubjedt of
their converfation we could not at all account; and it had
fo much engaged our attention, that we talked of it all the
Way back, and even after we got on board the fhip: we had
perplexed ourfelves with various conjectures, which were all
given up in their turn; but now we learnt, that on the
aid one of our officers, upon pretence of going out to fifh,
had rowed up to the Hippah, and that two or three canoes
coming off towards his boat, his fears fuggeded that an
attack was intended, in confequence o f which three mufkets
were fired, one with fmall fhot, and two with ball, at the
Indians, who retired with the utmod precipitation, having
probably come out with friendly intentions, for fuch their
behaviour both before and afterwards expreffed, and having
no reafon to expedt fuch treatment from people who had always
behaved to them not only with humanity, but kind-
nefs, and to whom they were not confcious of having given,
offence.
I . Om
On the 25th, I made another excurdon along the coad, in 177°-
the pinnace, towards the mouth of the inlet, accompanied by
Mr. Banks and Dr. Solander, and going on fhore at a-little 'lhu:ra‘l-v'5-
cove, to fhoot fhaggs, we fell in with a large family of Indians,
whofe cudom it is to difperfe themfelves among the
different creeks and coves, where bfh is to be procured in
the greated plenty, leaving a few only in the Hippah, to
which the red repair in times of danger. Some of thefe
people came out a good way to meet us, and gave us an invitation
to go with them to the red o f their party, which we
readily accepted. We found a company of about thirty,
men, women, and children, who received us with all pof-
fible demondrations of friendfhip : we didributed among
them a few ribands and beads, and in return, received the
kiffes and embraces of both fexes, both young and old s they
gave us alfo fome fifh, and after a little time we returned,
much pleafed with our new acquaintance.
In the morning of the 26th, I went again out in the boat, Friday 16.
with Mr. Banks and Dr. Solander, and entered one of the
bays, which lie on the ead fide of the inlet, in order to get
another fight of the dreight, which paffed between the
eadern and wedern feas. For this purpofe, having landed at
a convenient place, we climbed a hill of very confiderable
height, from which we had a full view of it, with the land
on the oppofite fiiore, which we judged to be about four
leagues didant; but as it was hazey in the horizon, we
could not fee far to the fouth ead: I refolved however to
fearch the paffage with, the drip, as foon as I fliould put to
fea. Upon the top of this hill we found a parcel of loofe
fiones, with which we erefted a pyramid, and left in it fome
mufket balls, fmall fhot, beads, and other things, which we
happened to have about us, that were likely to dand the ted
of time, and not being of Indian workmanfhip, would con-
3 E 2 vince -