I792* inconvenience the colours were hoifted, in order to fignify that the fhip was
■ tce™ er; tabooed,. This had the defired effeft with refpeft to the men; but. the
women, who probably had more incitements than bare euriofity, were not
to b e fo eafily reftrained. They ftill continued to fwim from the fhore
in fuch numbers, that they were obliged, frequently, to fire mufkets over
their heads to deter them from advancing.
A tolerable fupply of vegetables: was obtained, but fo few hogs, that
it was noon on the 26th before a fufficient number were procured to
ferve the blip’s company at the rate o f one pound and a half per man; and
thefe were purchafed with twelve inches of bar iron for each ftijiall pig.
Two chiefs, who vifited the fhip on the 27th, reftored the . grapnel that
had been ffolen, and promifed to bring back Mr. Hergeft’s fowling piece.
In the afternoon Mr. Hergeft was employed in furveying and founding
the Bay,- the depth o f water was found to be regular from go fathoms
at its entrance ito 9 fathoms towards the fhore, admitting of good anchorage
within that fpace. Round the fhores of the Bay, at a very fmall
diftance, the depth of water was from 7 to 5 and 4 fathoms.
Having completed their fupply of water on the 29th of October, and
having finifhed all the bufinefs they were here defirous ofexecuting, juft
as they were preparing to fail the two chiefs who had returned the grapnel
re-vifited the fhip, and repeated their promife that the fowling piece fhould
be reflored.. In confequenee of their former good behaviour they had
received many valuable prefents -, and as they were now in Mr. Hergeft’s
power, and as he was well allured that they could obtain the reftitution of
his gun, he informed one of the chiefs that the fhip was immediately going
to fea, and that if the fowling piece was not inftantly fent on board he
fhould be carried away from his ifland. T o thefe threats he paid little attention,
until an armed centinel was placed to guard him in the cabin;
when his apprehenfions became vifible, and were not a little augmented
by the alarm of the Indians on board, moft o f whom quitted the fhip. Mr.
Hergeft, perceiving his agitation, ufed every means to allure him, that he
fhould not be hurt, but yet if the gun was withheld, that he would on a
certainty proceed with him to fea: This converfation had the defired
effeft; a meffage was fent to the chief in whofe poffeffion the piece was,
and
and in about half an hour a,canoe was feen coming towards the fhip *79*'
difplaying the ufual. emblems of peace, in which was. a chief who had 1 — i
brought back the gun, and to whom Mr. Hergeft delivered up the pri-
foner unhurt. The: tears, eager habitation, and the fond delight ex-
preffed by the chief, who had been detained on again embracing his
countrymen, plainly difqovered the terror of his mind under the appre-
henfion of feeing them no.more. They now.parted very good friends,
and both the prifoner and the other chief feemed p.erfeftly reconciled on
receiving fame ufeful prefents.-
Thus the Daedalus quitted the ifland and its inhabitants, with whom
they feemed to be continually on the eve of a quarrel, in confequenee of
their repeated and darning thefts. Mr. Hergeft yery humanely concludes
.the account of his .tranfaftions at the Marquefas, by expreffmg much
happinefs that he had not been .driven to the melancholy neeeflity ©f
putting any of die natives to death, for the fecurity of their property; and,
excepting one man who was detefted in Healing a bucket, and who was
fuffered to reach his canoe before a mufket was fired, with the intention -to -
frighten him by pafling the ball through his canoe, but which unintentionally
paffed through the calf o f his leg, no other perfon appeared
to ’have received the leaft injury. This was a very fortunate cire.hmftance,
as the fhot fired from the great guns went far up the valley, where were
many o f their habitations ; and their efcaping unhurt on that occafion,
was more than could well have been .expefted. It is however very probable
they may not fare fo: well on the future arrival of other veffels,
finoe- their inordinate propenfity to thieving feems beyond all reftraint
or controul; and there did not appear to be any chief amongft them,
who poffeffed either inclination or authority fufficient to deter thepi
from fuch praftiGes.
In the evening, about five o’clock, they weighed and fleered to the
northward. A t day-light the next morning (30th oftobeij'.they came
within fight o f fome iflands, which appeared ,to Mr. Hergeft to he new
difeoveries. Thofe firlil feen were three in number, one bearing by
compafs n . by e ., the other N ib yw ., and the third s.w. by s. They
fetched the s.w. part of the eafternmoft, where a good Bay was found
N 2 w ith