April. "articles, are to be given in exchange for any thing 1769. "but provifion. J. Cook." As foon as the fhip was properly fecured, I went on fhore with Mr. Banks and Dr. Solander, a party of men under arms, and our friend Owhaw. We were received from the boat by some hundreds of the inhabitants, whofe looks at least gave us a welcome, though they were struck with fuch awe, that the first who approached us crouched fo low that he almost crept on his hands and knees. It is remarkable that he, like the people in the canoes, prefented to us the fame fymbol 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 gestures of kindness and fatisfaction; and obferving that each of them held one in his hand, we immediately gathered every one a hough, and carried it in our hands in the fame manner. 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 fhewed 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 wateringplace, 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 fhaken off their first timid fenfe of our fuperiority, and were become familiar: they went with us from the wateringplace and took a circuit through the woods: as we went along, we diftributed beads and other fmall 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 1769. April. Friday 14 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 fingle fowl. Thofe of our company who had been here with the Dolphin told us, that one of the people, whom we had yet feen 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 stood, 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. In the morning, however, before we could leave the fhip, feveral canoes came about us, most of them from the weftward, and two of them were filled with people, who by their drefs and deportment appeared to be of a fuperior rank: two of these came on board, and each fingled out his friend; one of them, whose name we found to be MATAHAH, fixed upon Mr. Banks, and the other upon me: this ceremony confifted in taking off great part of their clothes and putting them upon us. In return for this, we prefented Soon each of them with a hatchet and fome beads. as I ordered out two boats, and with Mr. Banks and Dr. Solander, the other gentlemen, and our two Indian friends, we embarked for our expedition. After rowing about a league, they made figns that we fhould go on fhore, and gave us to understand that this was the place of their refidence. We accordingly landed, among feveral hundreds of the natives, who conducted us into a houfe of much greater length than any we had seen. When we entered, we faw a middle-aged man, whose name we afterwards difcovered to be TOOтAHAH; mats were immediately fpread, and we were defired to fit down over-against him. Soon after we were feated, he ordered a cock and and hen to be brought out, which he prefented to Mr. Banks and me; we accepted the prefent, and in a fhort time each of us received a piece of cloth, perfumed after their manner, by no means difagreeably, which they took great pains to make us remark. The piece prefented to Mr. Banks was eleven yards long and two wide; in return for which he gave a laced filk neckcloth, which he happened to have on, and a linen pocket handkerchief: Tootahah immediately dreffed himself in this new finery, with an air of perfect complacency and fatisfaction. But it is now time that I fhould take some notice of the ladies. Soon after the interchanging of our presents with Tootahah, they attended us to feveral large houses, in which we walked about with great freedom; they thewed us all the civility of which, in our situation, we could accept and, on their part, feemed to have no fcruple that would have prevented its being carried farther. The houses which, as I have observed before, are all open, except a roof, afforded no place of retirement; but the ladies, by frequently pointing to the mats upon the ground, and fometimes feating themselves and drawing us down upon them, left us no room to doubt of their being much less jealous of obfervation than we were. We now took leave of our friendly Chief, and directed our course along the shore; when we had walked about a mile, we met, at the head of a great number of people, another Chief, whose name was TUBOURAI TAMAIDE, with whom we were also to ratify a treaty of peace, with the ceremony of which we were now become better acquainted. Having received the branch which he prefented to us, and given another in return, we laid our hands upon our left breasts, and pronounced the word Taio, which we fupposed to fignify friend; the Chief then gave us to understand, that if we chofe to eat, he had victuals ready for us. We accepted his offer, and dined very hear tily upon fish, bread-fruit, cocoa-nuts and plantains, dressed after their manner; they eat some of their fish raw, and raw fish was offered to us, but we declined that part of the entertainment. VOL. I. Ff During 1769. April. 1769. April. During this vifit a wife of our noble hoft, whose name was TOMIO, did Mr. Banks the honour to place herself upon the fame matt, clofe by him Tomio was not in the first bloom of her youth, nor did she appear to have been ever remarkable for her beauty: he did not therefore, I believe, pay her the most flattering attention: it happened too, as a farther mortification to this lady, that feeing a very pretty girl among the crowd, he, not adverting to the dignity of his companion, beckoned her to come to him: the girl, after fome intreaty, complied, and fat down on the other fide of him; he loaded her with beads, and every fhowy trifle that would pleafe her: his Princefs, though fhe was fomewhat mortified at the preference that was given to her rival, did not difcontinue her civilities, but still affiduously supplied him with the milk of the cocoa-nut, and such other dainties as were in her reach. This fcene might poffibly haye become more curious and interesting, if it had not been fuddenly interrupted by an interlude of a more ferious kind. Juft at this time, Dr. Solander and Mr. Monkhouse complained that their pockets had been picked. Dr. Solander had loft on opera glass in a fhagreen cafe, and Mr. Monkhoufe his fnuffbox. This incident unfortunately put an end to the good-humour of the company. Complaint of the injury was made to the Chief; and, to give it weight, Mr. Banks started up, and haftily ftruck the but-end of his firelock upon the ground: this action, and the noife that accompanied it, ftruck the whole affembly with a panick, and every one of the natives ran out of the house with the utmost precipitation, except the Chief, three women, and two or three others, who appeared by their drefs to be of a fuperior rank. : The Chief, with a mixture of confufion and concern, took Mr. Banks by the hand, and led him to a large quantity of cloth, which lay at the other end of the house this he offered to him piece by piece, intimating by figns, that if that would atone for the wrong which had been done, he might take any part of it, or, if he pleafed, the whole. Mr. Banks put it by, and gave him to understand, that he wanted nothing but what had been dishonestly taken away : Tubourai Tubourai Tamaide then went [haftily out, leaving He 1769. April. |