. 1778-
M a rch .
warp the ihip into the cove, alfo got foul o f rocks ; from
w hich it appeared that the whole bottom was ftrewed with
them. T h e ihip be in g again very le a k y in he r upper
works, I ordered the carpenters to go to w ork to caulk her,
and to repair fuch other defe its as, on examination, we
m ig h t difcover.
T h e fame o f our arrival brought a great concourfe o f the
natives to our fliips in the courfe o f this day. We counted
above a hundred canoes at one time, w h ich migh t be fup-
pofed to contain, at an average, five perfons each ; fo r few
o f them had lefs than three on b o a rd ; great numbers had
feven, eight, or n in e ; and one was manned w ith no lefs
than feventeen. Amongft thefe vifiters, many now favoured
us with their company fo r the firft time, w hich we could
guefs, from their approaching the fhips with their orations
and other ceremonies. I f they had any diftruft or fear o f us
at firft, they now appeared to have laid it a fide ; for they
came on board the fhips, and mixed w ith our people with
the greateft freedom. We foon difcovered, b y this nearer
intercourfe, that they were as light-fingered as any o f our
friends in the iflands we had vifited in the courfe o f the
voyage. And they were fa r more dangerous thieves ; for,
poilelfing iharp iron inftruments, they could cut a hook
from a tackle, or any other piece o f iron from a rope, the
inftant that our backs were turned. A large hook, w e igh in
g between twenty and thirty pounds, feveral fmaller ones,
and other articles o f iron, were loft in this manner. And,
•as to our boats, they ftripped them o f every bit o f iron
that was worth carrying away, though w e had always
m^n left in them as a guard. T h e y were dextrous enough
in effecting their purpofes ; for one fe llow would contrive
to am u fe the boat-keeper, at one end o f a boat, w h ile an-
1 s t other
other was p u llin g out the iron w ork at the other. I f we >778-
miffed a thing immediately after it had been ftolen, w e ■
found little difficulty in detecting the th ie f, as they were °
ready enough to impeach one another. But the gu ilty per-
fon gen e ra lly relinquiihed his prize with reluctance ; and
fometimes w e found it neceflary to have recourfe to force.
T h e fhips b e in g fecu rely moored, w e began UUr other April,
neceflary bufinefs the next day. T he obfervatories were WedE' ,; 11
carried afhore, and placed upon an elevated rock on one fide
o f the CQve, clofe to the Refolutiort. A party o f men, with
an officer, was fent to cu t wood, and to clear a place for the
convenieney o f watering. Others were employed to brew
fprucè-beer, as pine trees abounded here. T h e forgé was
a lfo fet up, to make the iron-work wanting for the repairs
o f the fore-maft. For, befides one o f the bibs being
defective, the larboard treftle-tree, and one o f the crofs-trees
w ere fprung.
A confiderable number o f the natives vifited us daily ;
and, every now and then, we faw new faces. On their firft
com in g , they gen era lly went through a lingular mode o f
introducing themfelves. T h e y would paddle, with all their
ftrength, quite round both fhips, a Chief, or other principal •
perfon in the canoe, Handing up with a fpear, or fome other
weapon, in his hand, and fpeaking, or rather hollowing,
all the time. Sometimes the orator o f the canoe would
have his face covered with a mafk, reprefenting either a
human vifage, or that o f fome animal ; and, inftead o f a
weapon, would hold a rattle in his hand, as before de-
fcribed. A fte r m a k in g this circuit round the fhips, they -
wou ld come along-fide, and begin to trade without further
ceremony. Very often, indeed, they wou ld firft giv e us a
V o r . II, N n long,