p. 189. After leaving Ulietea, as before mentioned, Captain Cook fteered to the weft,
inclining to the fouth, to get clear of the tracks of former navigators, and to
p. 190. get into the latitude of the iilands of Middleburg and Amfterdam: in this
route thdy now and then faw fome men of war and Tropic birds, and a fmall
fea bird, which is feldom feen but near the ihores of the iiles; they therefore
conje&ured that they had paffed fome land at no great diftance.
p. 191. On the ift o f Odtober they made the Iiland of Middleburg; and after
ranging the S. W. iide of it, without feeing the leaft proipedl of either anchorage
or landing* place, bore away for Amfterdam, which was then in light. But
they had fcarcely turned their fails, before they obferved the ihores o f Middle-
burgh to affume another aipe<ft, feetning to offer both anchorage and landing:
upon this they hauled the wind, plied in under the iiland, and came to an
anchor in twenty-five fathom water. Here they Were received in the fame
friendly manner, they had been at the Society Iilands.
p. 19a. Having, by prefents, obtained the friendihip o f a Chief, named Tioony,
011 going afliore they were conducted to his houfe, which was iituated about three
hundred yards from the fea, at the head of a fine lawn, and under the ihade of
fome ihaddock trees. The fituation was delightful: in front was the fea, and
the ihips at anchor; behind, and oh each fide, were plantations, in which were
fome of the richeft productions of nature. The floor of the houfe was laid with
mats, on which they were feated; and the natives, o f whom there were great
numbers prefent and about, feated themfelves in a circle round them on the
outfide. Having the bagpipes with them, Captain Cook ordered them to be
played; and, in return, the Chief directed three young women to flog a long,
which they did with a very good grace; and having each of them received a
prefent, this immediately fet all the women in the circle a finging : their
fongs were mufical and harmonious, and no ways harih or difagreeable.
After fitting here fome time, they were-, at their own requeft, conducted to
P one of the adjoining plantations, where the Chief had another houfe, into
which they were introduced. Bananoes and cocoa nuts were fet before them to
eat, and a bowl of liquor was prepared, in their prefence, of the juice of eava
(or
(or pepper) for them to drink; pieces of the root were firft offered them to
chew, but as they excufed themfelves from aflifting in the operation, this was
performed by others : when fufficiently chewed, it was put into a large wooden
bowl, and mixed with water; as foon as it was properly ftrained for drinking,
the natives made cups, by folding green leaves, which held near half a pint,
and prefented to each of them one of thefe, filled with the liquor: this liquor
they called ava ava.- Captain Cook was the only perfon who tailed it: the p» 186.
manner of brewing it having quenched the thirft of every one el'fe. The bowl
was, however, foon emptied of its contents, of which both m*en and women
partook. It was obferved that they never filled the fame cup twice; nor did two
perforis drink out of the fame, each had a freih cup and freih liquor.
This houfe was Iituated at one corner of the plantation, and had an area p. 194.
before it, on which they were feated : the whole was planted round with fruit
and other trees, whofe fpreading branches afforded an agreeable ihade, and
whofe fragrance diffufed a pleafing odour through the air. Having fignified a
defire to fee the country, they were conducted by Tioony through feveral plantations,
which were laid out with great judgment, and, inclofed with very neat
fences, made of reeds: thefe were all in very good order, and well planted with
various fruit trees, roots, &c. The Chief took feme pains .to let them, know
that moil of them belonged to himfelf. Near fome of the houfcs, and in the
lanes that divided the plantations, were running about fome hogs and very large
fowls, which were the only domeftick animals they faw; and thefe the natives,
did not feem willing to part with: which determined Captain Cook to leave this
iiland, and vifit that of Amfterdam.
Agreeable to this intention, they failed on the 3d of Odtober, highly de- ,
lighted with the country they were leaving, and with the obliging behaviour P
of the inhabitants, who feemed to vie with each other in doing what they
thought, would give them pleafure.
The fame day they anchored in Van Diemen’s Road,, where they met with » ,
nearly the fame reception as at Middleburg. Having here alfo expreffed a ’
defire to. view the country, they were .conduced into it by Attago,, a Chief
' who,