L a)o I E U T E N A N T C O O K ’ S V O Y A G E
September re£u'ar*ty ancl expedition, efpecially in cocking their pieces ;
i— — j the firft time they did it, he ftruck the fide of the fhip with a
Tuefday jjg|jjjj that he had in his hand, and cried out with great
vehemence, that all the locks made but one click. They
were difmiffed with many prefents, and when they went
away faluted with nine guns: Mr. Banks and Dr. Solander
•went alhore with them; and as foon as they put off they
gave us three cheers.
Our Gentlemen, when they came alhore, walked up with
them to the town, which confifts o f many houfes, and fome
of them are large; they are however nothing more than a
thatched- roof, fupported over a boarded floor, by pillars
about four feet high. They produced forne of their palm-
wine, which was the frelh unfermented juice of the trees
it had a fweet, but not a difagreeable taftef and hopes were
conceived that it might contribute to recover our lick from
the fcurvy. Soon after it was dark, Mr. Banks and Dr. Solander
returned on board.
wednef. 19 In the morning of the 19th, I went afhore'with Mr. Banks,
and feveral of the officers and Gentlemen, to return the
King’s vifit; but my chief bufinefs was to procure fome of
the buffaloes, flieep, and fowls, which we had been told
fhould be driven down to the beach. We were greatly mortified
to find that no fteps had been taken to fulfil this pro-
mife; however, we proceeded, to the houfe of aflembly,
which with two or three more had been ere died by the
Dutch Eaft India company, and are diftinguilhed from the
reft by two pieces of wood refembling a pair of cow’s horns,
one of which is Jet up at each end of the ridge that terminates
the roof; and thefe were certainly what the Indian intended
to reprefent by crofling his fingers, though our Por-
tuguefe, who was a good Catholic, conftrued the fign into a
crofs,
ROUND THE WORLD. •271:
crofS, which had perfuaded us that the fettlement belonged
to his countrymen. In this place we met Mr. Lange, and
the King, whofe name was A Madocho Lomi Djara, attended
by many of the principal people. We told them that we had
in the boat goods of various kinds, which we propofed to
barter for fuch refrelhments as they would give us in exchange,
and defired leave to bring them on fhore; which
being granted, they were brought alhore accordingly. We
then, attempted to fettle the price of the buffaloes, Ihecp,
hogs, and other commodities which we propofed to pur-
chafe, and for which we were to pay in money ; but as foon
as thisr was mentioned Mr. Lange left us, telling us that
thefe preliminaries muft be fettled with the natives: he faid,
however, that he had received a letter from the Governor of
Concordia in Timor, the purport of which he would, communicate
to us when he returned.
Wednef,
As the morning was now far advanced, and we were very
tinwilling to return on board and eat fait provifions, when
fo many delicacies furrounded us alhore, we petitioned his
Klajetly for liberty to purchafe a ftnall hog and fome rice,,
and to employ his fubjefts to drefs them for us. He an-
fwered very gracioufly, that if we could eat victuals drefled:
by his fubjeits, which he could fcarcely-fuppöfe, he would;
dó himfelf the honour of entertaining üs. We expreliéd our-
gratitude, and'immediately fent on board for liquors.
About five o’clock, dinner was ready; it was ferved' in fix;
and. thirty dilhes, or rather balkets, containing alternately-
rice and porkand three bowls of parthen ware, filled with;
.the. liq(uor. in which the pork had been boiled:: thefe were-
ranged upon the floor,, and mats laid round them for us to>
fit upon. We were then conducted by turns to a. hole in the-
floor,, near which flood, a man. with, water in a veflël, madè;-
ofl-
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