1774. During thefe tranfa&ions, a friendly old man in a fmalF
canoe made feveral trips between us and the fhore, bringing
rl y 5‘ off each time a few cocoa-nuts, or a yam, and taking in exchange
whatever we gave him. Another was on the gangway
when the great gun was fired, but I could not prevail
on him to flay there long. Towards the evening, after the
Chip was moored, I landed at . the head of the harbour, in
the S. E. 'corner, with a ftrong party of men, without any
oppofition being made by a great number of the natives
who were affembled in two parties, the one on our right,
' thé other on our left, armed with clubs; darts, lpcars,
flings and fiones, bows and arrows, -&c. After diftribufing
to the old people (for we could diftinguiih no chief), and
fome others, prefents.Of cloth, medals, &c.. I ordered two
cafks to be filled with water out of a pond about twenty-
paces behind the landing-placegiving the natives to un-
derftand, that this was one of the articles we wanted. B.e-
fides water, we got from, them a few cocoa-nuts, which
feemed to be in plenty on the trees ; but they could not be
prevailed upon, to part with any. of their weapons.. Thefe
they held in conftant readinefs, and in the proper attitudes of
offence and defence;. fo that little was wanting to make them
attack us ; at leaf! we thought fo, by their prefling fo much
upon us, and in fpite of our. endeavours to keep them off..
Our early re-embarking probably difconcerted their fcherhe;
and after that, they all retired. The friendly old man before
mentioned, was in one of thefe parties; and we judged,
from his conduct, that his temper was pacific.
.CHAP.
C H A P . V.
An Intercourfe ejiablijhed with the Natives; fome Account
o f the I f and, and a Variety of Incidents that happened
during our Stay at it,
A S. we wanted to take in a large quantity both of wood A - _
and water, and as, when I was on (hore, I had found 1----*
It pra&icable to lay the lhip much nearer the landing-place
*han fhe now was, which would greatly facilitate that work,
as well as over-awe the natives, and enable us better to
cover and protect the working party on fhore; with this
view, on the 6th, we went to work to tranfport the fhip to the Sunday 6,
place I defigned to moor her in. While we were about this,
weobferved the natives affembling.from all parts, and'forming
themfelves into two parties, as they did the preceding
evening, one on each fide the landing-place, to the amount
of fome thoufands, armed as before. . A canoe, fometimes
conducted by one, and: at other times by two or three men,
now and then, came off, bringing a few cocoa-nuts or plantains.
Thefe they gave us without a filing for any return;
but I took care that they fhould always have fomething.
Their chief defign feemed to be to invite us on fhore. One
of thofe who came off was the old man, who had already ingratiated
himfelf into our favour. I made him underhand,
by figns, that they were to lay afide their weapons, took
thofe which were in the canoe and threw them overboard,
a-nd made him a prefent of a large piece of cloth. These
was no doubt that he underftood me, and made my requeft
. known. .