C H A P . ir .
Farther Account of TranfaElions •with the Natives.— Their
Hofpitality.-— Propenfity to 'Theft.— Defcription o f a
Boxing Match.— Death of one o f our Seamen.— Behaviour
o f the Priefis at his Funeral.— The Wood Work
and Images on the Morai purchafed.— The Natives in-
quiftive about our Departure.— Their Opinion about the
Defgn of our Voyage.— Magnificent Prefents o f Ter-
reeoboo to Captain Cook.— The Ships leave the Ifland.— -
The Refolution damaged in a Gale, and obliged to
. return.
>779- r I 'H E quiet and inoffenfive behaviour o f the natives
J a n u a r y . 1 . . ’
> — > A. h a v in g taken aw a y every apprehenfion o f danger, w e
Tuefday 26. j j j not; heiitate to truft ourfelves amongft them at a ll times
and in all lituations. T h e Officers o f both Ihips went da ily
up the country, in fmall parties, or even fingly, and fr e qu
en tly remained out the w ho le n ight. It would be endlefs
to recount all the inilances o f kindnefs and c iv ility w h ich
w e received upon thofe occafions. Wherever w e went, the
people flocked, about us, eage r to offer every affiftance in
the ir power, and h ig h ly gratified i f the ir fervices were accepted.
Various little arts w ere praftifed to attraCi: o u r
notice, or to delay our departure. T h e boys and girls ran
before, as we walked throu gh their villa g e s , and flopped u s
at eve ry opening, w h e re there was room to form a g ro u p
■for dancing. At one time, 'We w e r e invited to accept a
draught o f cocoa-nut m ilk , or fome other refreihment
under
under the (hade o f their h u t s ; at another, w e w e re feated »77?.
w ith in a circle o f y o u n g women, w ho exerted all their (k ill ■ Ja°"ary- .
and a g ility to amufe us w ith fongs and dances.
T h e fatisfa&ion w e derived from their gentlenefs and
hofpitality, was, however, freq u en tly interrupted b y that
propenfity to ftealing, w h ich they have in common w ith a ll
the other iflanders o f thefe feas. T h is circumftance was
the more diftreffing, as it fometimes obliged us to have re-
courfe to adts o f feverity, w h ich w e ihould w illin g ly h a v e
avoided, i f the neceffity o f the cafe had not abfolutely called
fo r them. Some o f the ir moft expert fwimmers were one
day difcovered under the Ihips, d raw in g out the fillin g nails
o f the iheathing, w h ich the y performed ve ry dexteroufly b y
means o f a fhort flick, w ith a flint ftone fixed in the end o f
it. T o put a flop to this practice, which endangered the
ve ry exiftence o f the veffels, we at firft fired fmall ihoc at th e
offenders; but the y eafily got out o f ou r reach b y d iv in g
under the fhip’ s bottom. It was therefore foun d neceffary
to make an example, b y flo g g in g one o f them on board th e
D ifco v e ry.
About this time, a la rg e party o f gentlemen, from both
ihips, fet out on ah excurfion into the interior parts o f the
country, w ith a v iew o f examining its natural productions.
An account o f th is jo u rn e y w ill be giv en in a fubfequent
part o f our narrative. It is, therefore, only neceffary at pre-
fent to obferve, that it afforded Kaoo a fre ih opportunity o f
(h ewing his attention and generality. For as foon as he was
informed o f their departure, he fent a la rg e fupply o f pro-
vifions after them, together w ith orders, that the inhabitants
o f the country throu gh w h ich they were to pafs, ihould
g iv e them every affiftance in their power, And, to complete
£ th e