CHA P. VIII. The Arrival of the Endeavour at Otaheite, called by Captain A ༧ 1769% April, BOUT one o'clock, on Monday the 10th of April, fome of the people who were looking out for the island to which we were bound, faid they faw land ahead, in that Monday 10. part of the horizon where it was expected to appear; but it was fo faint that, whether there was land in fight or not, remained a matter of difpute till funfet. The next morning, Tuesday 11. however, at fix o'clock, we were convinced that those who faid they had discovered land, were not mistaken; it appeared to be very high and mountainous, extending from W. by S S. to W. by N. N. and we knew it to be the fame that Captain Wallis had called King George the III.'s Iland. We were delayed in our approach to it by light airs and calms, so that in the morning of the 12th we were but little nearer Wednef.-12. than we had been the night before; but about seven a breeze fprung up, and before eleven several canoes were seen making towards the ship: there were but few of them, however, that would come near; and the people in those that did, could not be perfuaded to come on board. In every canoe there were young plantains, and branches of a tree which the Indians call E'Midho; thefe, as we afterwards learnt, were brought as tokens of peace and amity, and the people in one of the canoes handed them up the fhip's fide, making fignals 1769. April. Wednef. 12. at the fame time with great earnestness, which we did not immediately understand; at length we gueffed that they wished these symbols should be placed in fome confpicuous part of the fhip; we, therefore, immediately stuck them among the rigging, at which they expreffed the greatest fatisfaction. We then purchased their cargoes, confifting of cocoa-nuts, and various kinds of fruit, which after our long voyage were very acceptable. We stood on with an eafy fail all night, with foundings Thursday 13. from 22 fathom to 12, and about seven o'clock in the morning we came to an anchor in 13 fathom, in Port-royal bay, called by the natives Matavai. We were immediately furrounded by the natives in their canoes, who gave us cocoanuts, fruit resembling apples, bread-fruit, and fome fmall fishes, in exchange for beads and other trifles. They had with them a pig, which they would not part with for any thing but a hatchet, and therefore we refused to purchase it; because, if we gave them a hatchet for a pig now, we knew they would never afterwards fell one for less, and we could not afford to buy as many as it was probable we should want at that price. The bread-fruit grows on a tree that is about the fize of a middling oak: its leaves are frequently a foot and an half long, of an oblong shape, deeply finuated like those of the fig-tree, which they resemble in confistence and colour, and in the exuding of a white milky juice upon being broken. The fruit is about the size and shape of a child's head, and the surface is reticulated not much unlike a truffle: it is covered with a thin fkin, and has a core about as big as the handle of a small knife: the eatable part lies between the skin and the core; it is as white as fnow, and fomewhat of the confiftence of new bread: it must be roasted before it is eaten, being firft divided into three or four parts: its tafte is infipid, with a flight fweetnefs fomewhat refembling that of the crumb of wheaten-bread mixed with a Jerufalem artichoke. Among others who came off to the fhip was an elderly man, whose name, as we learnt afterwards, was OwHAW, and who was immediately known to Mr. Gore, and feveral others who had been here with Captain Wallis; as I was informed that he had been very useful to them, I took him on board the ship with some others, and was particularly attentive to gratify him, as I hoped he might also be useful to us. As our flay here was not likely to be very fhort, and as it was necessary that the merchandise which we had brought for traffic with the natives should not diminish in its value, which it would certainly have done, if every person had been left at liberty to give what he pleafed for fuch things as he should purchase; at the same time that confufion and quarrels must neceffarily have arisen from there being no standard at market: I drew up the following rules, and ordered that they should be punctually observed. Rules to be observed by every person in or belonging to his Majefty's "I. " I. To endeavour, by every fair means, by every fair means, to cultivate a "friendship with the natives; and to treat them with all imaginable humanity. "II. A proper perfon, or perfons, will be appointed to "trade with the natives for all manner of provifions, fruit, and other productions of the earth; and no officer or fea t man, or other perfon belonging to the fhip, excepting fuch "as are fo appointed, shall trade or offer to trade for any fort " of VOL.I M 1769. April. Thursday 13. 1769. April. Thursday 13. " of provifion, fruit, or other productions of the earth, unless they have leave fo to do. "III. Every perfon employed on fhore, on any duty what "foever, is ftrictly to attend to the fame; and if by any ne glect he lofeth any of his arms, or working tools, or fuffers "them to be ftolen, the full value thereof will be charged "against his pay, according to the custom of the navy in "fuch cafes, and he fhall receive fuch farther punishment as the nature of the offence may deserve. "IV. The fame penalty will be inflicted on every person "who is found to embezzle, trade, or offer to trade, with any part of the ship's ftores of what nature soever. "V. No fort of iron, or any thing that is made of iron, or any fort of cloth, or other useful or necessary articles, are to be given in exchange for any thing but provision. "J. Cook." As foon as the ship was properly fecured, I went on shore with Mr. Banks and Dr. Solander, a party of men under arms, and our friend Owhaw. We were received from the boat by fome hundreds of the inhabitants, whose looks at leaft gave us welcome, though they were ftruck with fuch awe, that the first who approached us crouched fo low that he almoft crept upon his hands and knees. It is remarkable that he, like the people in the canoes, prefented to us the same symbol of peace that is known to have been in use among the ancient and mighty nations of the northern hemifphere, the green branch of a tree. We received it with looks and geftures of kindness and fatisfaction; and obferving that each of them held one in his hand, we immediately gathered every one a bough, and carried it in our hands in the fame manner. They 1769. April. Thursday 13. They marched with us about half a mile towards the place where the Dolphin had watered, conducted by Owhaw; they then made a full stop, and having laid the ground bare, by clearing away all the plants that grew upon it, the principal perfons among them threw their green branches upon the naked spot, and made figns that we should do the fame; we immediately showed our readiness to comply, and to give a greater folemnity to the rite, the marines were drawn up, and marching in order, each dropped his bough upon those of the Indians, and we followed their example. We then proceeded, and when we came to the watering-place it was intimated to us by figns, that we might occupy that ground, but it happened not to be fit for our purpose. During our walk they had shaken off their first timid sense of our fuperiority, and were become familiar: they went with us from the watering-place and took a circuit through the woods: as we went along, we distributed beads and other small prefents among them, and had the fatisfaction to fee that they were much gratified. Our circuit was not less than four or five miles, through groves of trees, which were loaded with cocoa-nuts and bread-fruit, and afforded the most grateful fhade. Under these trees were the habitations of the people, most of them being only a roof without walls, and the whole scene realized the poetical fables of Arcadia. We remarked however, not without fome regret, that in all our walk we had feen only two hogs, and not a single fowl. Those of our company who had been here with the Dolphin told us, that none of the people whom we had yet seen were of the first class; they suspected that the chiefs had removed, and upon carrying us to the place where what they called the Queen's palace had flood, we found that no traces of it were left. We determined therefore to return in the morning, and endeavour to find out the Noblesse in their retreats. : M 2 In |