p. 279.
p. 280.
p- 281.
On the 14th Captain Gook went aihore, accompanied by feveral of the
gentlemen, and landed on the Sandy Beach, where fome hundreds of the natives-
were affembled, and who were fo impatient to fee them, that fome of them
fwam off to meet the boats. After diftributing a few trinkets among them.
Captain Cook made figns for fomething to eat; on which they brought down
a few potatoes, plantains, and fugar canes, and exchanged them for nails,
looking glades, and pieces of cloth. They foon found that thefe people were a^
expert thieves, and as tricking in their exchanges, as any they had met with.
Some o f the officers (Captain Cook’s health not yet permitting) made an
excurfion into the country, on the 15th, to examine into the nature and produce
of it; they were accompanied by feveral of the gentlemen, and attended by
a party of men : when they fet out, they were followed by a great crowd of
the natives, who preffed much upon them: but they had not proceeded far
before a middle aged man, pundtured from head to foot, and his face painted
with a fort of white pigment, appeared with a fpear in his hand, and walked
along fide of them, making figns to his countrymen to keep at a diftance, and
not moleft the ftrangers. When he had pretty well affecfted this, he hoifted a
piece of white cloth on his fpear, placed himfelf in the front, and led the way
with this enfign of peace.
p. 28i. The greateft part of the country had but a very barren appearance; there were
however, feveral large tracks planted with potatoes and fome plantain walks-
but they law no fruit on any of the trees. On the.eaft fide, near the fea, they
met with three platforms of ftone work, ot rather the ruins of them : on each
had flood four of thofe large ftatues feen by Roggewin; fome of which were
now fallen down, and moft of them defaced: they meafured one, and found it
to be fifteen feet in length, and fix feet broad Over the (houlders. Each ftatue
had on its head a large cylindric ftone, of a red' colour, wrought perfectly
round, fifty-two inches high, and fixty-fix in diameter. The eaft fide of the
ifland appears to be full of thefe ftatues, and fome of them o f much larger
dimenfions.
As
1
IK
As they palled along they obferved, on a hill, a number of people colleited p. 28;.
together, fome of whom had ipears in their hands; but, on being called out
to by their countrymen; they difperfed, except a few, amongft whom was one
feemingly of fome note: he was a ftout, well made man, with a fine open countenance;
his face was painted; his body pundtured; and he wore a better ha-hout
or cloth, than the reft. He faluted them, as he came up, by ftretching out his
arms, with both hands clinched, lifting them over his head, opening them
wide, and then letting them fall gradually down by his fides. To this man,
whom the party underftood to be the Chief of the ifland, their other friend
gave his white flag; and he delivered it to another, who carried it before
them the remainder of the day.
They here met with a well, the only one they faw, whofe water was perfedlly p, 28,.
freffi, being confiderably above the level o f the fea: but it was dirty, owing to
the filthinefs or cleanlinefs (call it which you will) of the natives, who never
go to drink without Waffiing themfelves all over as foon as they have done;
and i f ever fo many of them are together, the firft leaps right into the middle
o f the hole, drinks, and waffies himfelf without the leaft ceremony; after
which another takes his place, and does the fame.
Captain Cook obferves that no nation need contend for the honour of the p. 28!.
difcovery of Eafter Ifland, as there can be but few places which afford lefs convenience
fof (hipping than it does : here is no fafe anchorage; no wood for fuel •
nor any freih water worth taking aboard. Nature has been exceedingly lparing ■
of her favours to this fpot. The produce is fweet potatoes, yams, gourds,
plantains, and fugar canes, all pretty good, the potatoes efpeeially. They have
a few tame fowls, fuch as cocks and hens, fmall but well tailed; they have
alfo rats, which, it feems, they eat; land birds there are fcarcely any, and
fea birds but few; neither did the fea appear to abound with f ifli.
The inhabitants do not feem to exceed fix or feVen hundred fouls; and about
two-thirds of thofe they faw were males. In colour, features; and language, P \ 1’
they bear fuch affinity to the people of the more weftern ifles, that no orte can '
doubt their having had the fame origin. In general'the natives of this ifland
are