Ll'EUTEN ANT COOK’j VOYAGE
June 10 uPon expedition, and feveral natives, particu-
Twaly~u larly Tubourai Tamaide andTomio, were alfo of the party.
Very early on the -Friday morning, I fent Mr. Hicks, with
Mt. Clerk and Mr. Peterfgill, the Mailer’s Mates, and Mr.
-Saunders, one of the Midlhipmen, in the pinnace to the eaft-
ward, with orders to fix on fome convenient fpot, at a diftance
from our principal obfervatory, where they alfo might employ
the inftruments with which they had been furnilhed
for the fame purpofe.
The long-boat not having been got ready till Thurfday in
the afternoon, though all pofiible expedition was ufed to fit
her out; the people on board, after having rowed moll part
-of the night, brought her to a grappling juft under the land
Friday 2. of Imao. Soon after day-break, they faw an Indian canoe,
which they hailed, and the people on board Ihewed them
an inlet through the reef into which they pulled, and foon
fixed upon a coral rock, which rofe out o f the water about
one hundred and fifty yards from the fhore, as a proper fitua-
tion for their obfervatory : it was about eighty yards long and
twenty broad, and in the middle o f it was a bed of white fand,
large enough for the tents to Hand upon. Mr. Gore and his
alliftants immediately began to fet them up, and make other
necefiary preparations For the important bufinefs of the next
day. While this was doing, Mr. Banks, with the Indians of
Otaheite, and the people whom they had met in the canoe,
went alhore upon the main ifland, to buy provifions ; of
which he procured a fufficient fupply before night. When
he returned to the rock he found the obfervatory in order,
and the telefcopes all fixed and tried. The evening was very
fine, yet their folicitude did not permit them to take much
reft in the night: one or other of them was up every half
hour, who fatisfied the impatience of the reft by reporting
the
R O U N D T H E WO R L D r 39
the changes of the Iky; now encouraging their hope by tell- »769.
ing them that it was clear, and now alarming ttfeir fears by ■ ^°.nC
an account that it was hazey.
At day-break they got up, and had the fatisfadlion to fee Saturday 3.
the fun rife, without a cloud. Mr. Banks then, wilhingthe
obfervers, Mr. Gore and Mr. Monkhoufe, fuccefs, repaired
again to the ifland, that he might examine its produce, and
get a frefh fupply of provifions : he began by trading with
the natives, for which purpofe he took his ftation under a
tree j and to keep them from prefling upon him in a crowd,
he drew a circle round him, which he fuffered none of them
to enter.
- About eight o’clock, he faw two canoes coming towards
the place, and was given to underftand by the people about
him, that they belonged to T arrao, the King of the ifland,
who was coming to make him a vifit. As foon as the canoes
came near the Ihore, the people made a lane from the beach to
the trading-place,and his Majefty landed, with his lifter, whofe
name was Nun a ; as they advanced towards the tree where
Mr. Banks flood, he went out to meet them, and, with great
formality, introduced them into the circle from which the
other natives had been excluded. As it is the cuftom of thefe
people to fit during all their conferences, Mr. Banks unwrapped
a kind of Turban of Indian cloth, which he wore
upon his head inftead of a hat, and fpreading it upon the
ground, they all fat down upon it together. The royal pre-
fent was then brought, which confifted of a hog and a dog,
fome bread-fruit, cocoa-nuts, and other articles of the like
kind. Mr. Banks then difpatchcd a canoe.to the obfervatory
for his prefent, and the melfengers foon returned with an
adze, a fhirt, and fome beads, which were prefented to his
Majefty, and received with great fatisfadlion.
Von. II. T By