1779- and though the prefent -was, in eve ry refpedt, infinitely in -
.Febrnary\ ferior, yet the aftoniffiment o f the natives w as not lefs.
I have before mentioned, that the carpenters, from both
ihips, had been fent up the country to cut planks, fo r the
head rail-work o f the Refolution. T h is was the third day
fince their d epa rture ; and h a vin g received no intelligence
from them, w e began to be ve ry anxious fo r their fafety.
We were communicating ou r apprehenfions to old Kaoo, who
appeared as much concerned as ourfelves, and were concertin
g meafures w ith him, fo r fending after them, when they
arrived all fafe. T h e y had been obliged to go farther into
the country than was expedited, before the y met w ith trees
fit fo r their purpo fe; and it was this circumftance, together
w ith the badnefs o f the roads, and the difficulty o f b rin g in
g b a ck the timber, w h ich had detained them fo long.
T h e y fpoke in h ig h terms o f their guides,^ w h o both fup-
plied them with provifions, and guarded their tools w ith the
utmoft fidelity.
T h e next day, b e in g fixed fo r our departure, Terreeoboo
Wednef. 3. invited Captain Cook and m y fe lf to attend him, on the 3d,
to the place, where Kaoo refided. On our arrival, w e found
the ground covered w ith parcels o f c lo th ; a vaft quantity o f
red and y e llow feathers, tied to the fibres o f cocoa-nut
h u ik s ; and a great number o f hatchets, and other pieces o f
iron-ware, that had been got in barter from us. At a little-
difiance from thefe, la y an immenfe quantity o f vegetables,,
o f every kind, and near them was a large herd o f h o g s. At
firft, w e imagined the w h o le to be intended as a prefent for.
us, till Kaireekeea informed me, that it was a g ift, or tribute,
from the people o f that diftrift to the k in g , an , a c -.
cordingly, as foon as w e were feated, they brought all thebundles,
and laid them feverally a tTerreeoboo’s feet ; fpread- ' 779- ; r ebruary.
in g out the cloth, and difp la y in g the feathers, and iron- < »
ware, before him. T h e k in g feemed m u ch pleafed w ith
this m a rk o f their d u t y ; and ha vin g felected about a third
part o f the iron-ware, the fame proportion o f feathers,
and a few p ieces o f cloth, thefe were fet afide, by themfelves ;
and the remainder o f the cloth, together w ith all the hogs
and vegetables, were afterward prefented to Captain Cook;
and m y fe lf. We were aftoniffied at the value and m a gn itude
o f this prefent, w h ich fa r exceeded every thin g o f the.
kin d we had feen, either at the Friendly or Society Iflands,
Boats were immediately fent, to carry them on board ; the
la rg e hogs were picked out, to be falted fo r fea-ftore; and
upward o f thirty fmaller pigs, and the vegetables, were divided
between the two crews.
T h e fame day, w e quitted the Ikforat, and got the tents and :
aftronomical inftruments on board. T h e charm o f the taboo,
was now rem o v ed ; and w e had no fooner le ft the place, than
the natives ru lhed in, an d 'fea rched e age rly about, in expectation,
o f finding fomethin g o f va lue , that we migh t
ha ve le ft behind. ■ As I happened to remain the laft on fhore,
and waited fo r the return o f the boat, feveral came, crowdin
g about me, and having; made me fit down by them, began
to lament our feparation,. It was, indeed, not withou t;
difficulty, I was able to quit them.: And here, I hope I may.
b e permitted to relate, a, trifling occurrence,- in w hich I was -
principally concerned. H a vin g had the . command o f the :
party, on fhore, d uring the w ho le time w e were in the b a y , ,
I had an opportunity o f becoming-better acquainted w ith ,
the natives, and o f b e in g better kn own to them,- than thofe -
wliofe duty required them to b e gen era lly on board.: As I .
had .every reafon to be fatisfied w ith their kindnefs, in g e n
e ra l,,