April' “ Provifi°n! fruit, or other productions of the earth, unlefs
g-------- > “ they have leave fo to do.
Tharfday 13.
“ III. Every perfon employed on Ihore. on any duty what-
“ foever, is ftriftly to attend to the fame; and if by any ne-
“ gleCt he lofeth any o f his arms, or working tools,, or fuffers
“ them to be ftolen, the full value thereof will be charged
“ againft his pay, according to the cuftom of the navy in
“ fuch cafes, and he fhall receive fuch farther punifhment
“ as the nature of the ofFence may deferve.
i IV. The fame penalty will be inflidted on every perfon
“ who is found to embezzle, trade, or offer to trade, with
“ any part of the Ihip’s ftores of what nature foever.
“ V. No fort of iron, or any thing that is made of iron, or
ft any fort of cloth, or other ufeful or neceflary articles, are
“ to be given in exchange for any thing but provifion.
J. Cook.”
As foon as the fhip was properly fecured, I went on fit ore
with Mr. Banks and Dr. Solander, a party of men under
arms, and our friend Owhaw. We were received from the
boat by fome hundreds of the inhabitants, whofe looks at
leaf! gave us welcome, though they were ftruck with fuch
awe, that the firft who approached us crouched fo low that
he almoft crept upon his hands and knees. It is remarkable
that he, like the people in the canoes, prefented to us tlr?
fame fymbol of peace that is known to have been in ufe
among the ancient and mighty nations of. the northern he-
mifphere, the green branch of a tree. We received it with
looks and geftures of kindnefs and fatisfadlion ; and obferv-
ing that each of .them held one in his hand, we immediately
gathered every one a bough, and carried it in our hands in
the fame manner.
They
They marched with us about half a mile towards the place W&9-
where the Dolphin had watered, conducted by Owhaw; they <----—>
. , . , . , . , Tharfday'13; then made a full ftop, and having laid the ground bare, by
clearing away all the plants that grew upon it, the principal
perfons among them threw their green branches upon the
naked fpot, and made figns that we fhould do the fame ; we
immediately fhowed our readinefs to comply, and to give a
greater folemnity to the rite, the marines were drawn up;
and marching in order, each dropped his bough upon thofe
of the Indians, and we followed their example. We then
proceeded, and when we came to the watering-place it was
intimated to us by figns, that we might occupy that ground,
but it happened not to be fit for our purpofe. During our
walk they had fhaken off their firft timid fenfe of our fupe^
rioritv, and were become familiar: they went with us from
the watering-place and took, a circuit through the woods:
as we went along, we diftributed beads and other fmall pre-
fents among them, and had the fatisfadion to fee that they
were much gratified. Our circuit was not lefs than four or
five miles, through groves of trees, which were loaded with
cocoa-nuts and bread-fruit, and afforded the moft grateful
fliade. Under thefe trees were the habitations of the people,
moft of them being only a roof without walls, and the whole
fcene realized the poetical fables of Arcadia. We remarked
however, not without fome regret, that in all our walk we
had.feen only two hogs, and not a fingle fowl. Thofe o f our
company who had been here with the Dolphin told us, that
none of the people whom we had yet feen were o f the firft
clafs ; they fufpeCted that the chiefs had removed, and upon
carrying us to the place where what they called the Queen’s
palace had flood, we found that no traces of it were left. We
determined therefore to return in the morning, and endeavour
to find out the Nobkffe in their retreats.
Vol. II. M. In