the two obfervatories, and tents for the reception of a guard, February. . .
«---- ' and of fuch of our people whofe bufinefs might make it neceffary
for them to remain on ill ore.
We had not been long at anchor before feveral canoes,-
filled with natives, came along-fide of the ihips; but very
few of them would venture on board ; which appeared the
more extraordinary, as I was well known to them all. There
was one man in particular among!! them, whom I had
treated with remarkable kindnefs, during the whole of my
ftay when I was Taft here. Yet now, neither profeffions of
friendihip, nor prefents, could prevail upon him to come
into the fhip. This ihynefs was to be accounted for only
upon this fuppofition, that they were apprehenfive we had
revifited their country, in order to revenge the death of Captain
Furneaux’s people. Seeing Omai on board my ihip
now, whom they mult have remembered to have feen on
board the Adventure when the melancholy affair happened,
and whofe firft converfation with them, as they approached,
generally turned on that fubjeCt, they muft be well allured
that I was no longer a firanger to it. I thought it necelfary,
therefore, to ufe every endeavour to allure them of'the continuance
of my friendihip, and that I Ihould not difturb
them on that account. I do not know whether this had any
weight with them; but certain it is, that they very foon laid
alide all manner of reftraint and diitmll.
Thurfdayi3. On t^le I3t^1 we ^ct UP tw0 tents, one from each fhip; on
the fame fpot where we had pitched them formerly. The
obfervatories were at the fame time ereCted; and Meffrs.
King and Bayly began their operations immediately, to find
the rate of the time-keeper, and to make other obfervations.
The remainder of the empty water-caiks were alfo fent on
ihore,
Ihore, with the cooper to trim, and a fufficient number o f «777-
failors to fill them. Two men were appointed to.brew ,Fe-.-'y'
fpruce beer; and the carpenter and his crew were ordered
to cut wood. A boat, with a party of men, under the direction
of one of the mates, was fent to colled: grafs for our
cattle; and the people that remained on board were employed
in refitting the lliip, and arranging the provifions.
In this manner, we were all profitably bulled during our
flay. For the protection of the party on Ihore, I appointed
a guard of ten marines, and ordered arms for all the workmen
; and Mr. King, and two or three petty officers, con-
itanfly remained with them. A boat was never fent to any
conliderable diltance from the lhips without being armed,
and under the direction of fuch officers as I could depend
upon, and who were well acquainted with the natives.
During my former vifits to this country, I had never taken
fome of thefe precautions ; nor were they, I firmly believe,
more necelfary now than they had been formerly. But after
^the tragical fate o f the Adventure’s boat’s crew in this
found, and of Captain Marion du Frefne, and of fome of
his people, in the Bay of Illands *, it was impoffible torally
to diveft ourfelves of all apprehenfion of experiencing a
limilar calamity.
If the natives, entertained any fufpicion of our revenging
thefe aCts of barbarity, they very, foon laid it alide. For,
during the courfe of this day, a great number of families
came from different parts of the coali, and took up their re-
fidence clofe to u s ; fo that there was not a fpot in the cove
where a hut could be put up, that was not occupied by
them, except the place where we had fixed our little en-
V ol. I.
* 111 I J J 2 .
K campment.