its taste 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, whofe 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 fome others, and was particularly attentive to gratify him, as I hoped he might also be useful to us. As our stay 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 fhould not diminish in its value, which it would certainly have done, if every person had been left at liberty to give what he pleased for fuch things as he should purchase; at the same time that confusion and quarrels must neceffarily have arifen from there being no standard at market: I drew up the following rules, and ordered that they should be punctually obferved. Rules to be obferved by every perfon in or belonging to his Majesty's "I. To endeavour, 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 provisions, fruit, “and other productions of the earth; and no officer or sea"man, or other perfon belonging to the fhip, excepting fuch: as are so appointed, shall trade or offer to trade for any fort 66 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 neglect 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 "such cases, and he fhall receive fuch farther punishment "as the nature of the offence may deferve. "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 fhip's ftores of what nature foever. "V. No fort of iron, or any thing that is made of iron, or any fort of cloth, or other useful or neceffary articles, are "to be given in exchange for any thing but provision. 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 fome hundreds of the inhabitants, whofe looks at leaft gave us welcome, though they were ftruck with fuch awe, that the first who approached us crouched so low that he almost crept upon 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 geftures of kindness and fatisfaction; and observing 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 |