1769. October.

Sunday 8.

Monday 9

lar figure he was covered with a fine cloth, of a manufacture altogether new to us, and it was tied on exactly according to the representation in Valentyn's Account of Abel Tafman's Voyage, vol. ii. part 2. page 50. his hair alfo was tied in a knot on the top of his head, but had no feather in it. We returned immediately to the ship, where we could hear the people on fhore talking with great earnestness, and in a very loud tone, probably about what had happened, and what should be done.

In the morning, we faw feveral of the natives where they had been seen the night before, and fome walking with a quick pace towards the place where we had landed, most of them unarmed; but three or four with long pikes in their hands. As I was defirous to establish an intercourfe with them, I ordered three boats to be manned with feamen and marines, and proceeded towards the fhore, accompanied by Mr. Banks, Dr. Solander, the other Gentlemen, and Tupia; about fifty of them seemed to wait for our landing, on the oppofite fide of the river, which we thought a fign of fear, and feated themselves upon the ground: at first therefore, myself, with only Mr. Banks, Dr. Solander, and Tupia, landed from the little boat, and advanced towards them; but we had not proceeded many paces before they all ftarted up, and every man produced either a long pike, or a

fmall weapon of green Talc, extremely well polished, about a foot long, and thick enough to weigh four or five pounds: Tupia called to them in the language of Otaheite; but they anfwered only by flourishing their weapons, and making figns to us to depart; a musquet was then fired wide of them, and the ball ftruck the water, the river being ftill between us they faw the effect, and defifted from their threats; but we thought it prudent to retreat till the marines could be landed. This was foon done; and they marched, with a jack carried before them, to a little bank, about fifty yards from the water fide; here they were drawn up, and I again advanced, with Mr. Banks and Dr. Solander; Tupia, Mr. Green, and Mr. Monkhouse, being with us. Tupia was again direct ed to fpeak to them, and it was with great pleafure that we perceived he was perfectly underftood, he and the natives speaking only different dialects of the fame language. He told them that we wanted provifion and water, and would give them iron in exchange, the properties of which he explained as well as he was able. They were willing to trade, and defired that we would come over to them for that purpofe: to this we confented, provided they would lay by their arms; which, however, they could by no means be perfuaded to do. During this conversation, Tupia warned us to be upon our guard, for

that

1769.

Q&tober.

Monday 9.

1769.

October.

that they were not our friends: we then preffed them in our turn to come over to us; and at Monday 9. last one of them ftripped himself, and fwam over without his arms: he was almost immediately followed by two more, and foon after by most of the reft, to the number of twenty or thirty; but these brought their arms with them. We made them all presents of iron and beads; but they seemed to fet little value upon either, particularly the iron, not having the least idea of its ufe; so that we got nothing in return but a few feathers: they offered indeed to exchange their arms for ours, and, when we refused, made many attempts to fnatch them out of our hands. As foon as they came over, Tupia repeated his declaration, that they were not our friends, and again warned us to be upon our guard; their attempts to fnatch our weapons, therefore, did not fucceed; and we gave them to understand by Tupia, that we should be obliged to kill them if they offered any farther violence. In a few minutes, however, Mr. Green happening to turn about, one of them fnatched away his hanger, and retiring to a little distance, waved it round his head, with a shout of exultation: the reft now began to be extremely infolent, and we saw more coming to join them from the oppofite fide of the river. It was therefore become neceffary to reprefs them, and Mr. Banks fired at the man who had taken

the

1769.

October.

the hanger with fmall fhot, at the distance of about fifteen yards: when the fhot ftruck him, he ceased his cry; but inftead of returning the Monday 9. hanger, continued to flourish it over his head,

at the fame time flowly retreating to a greater distance. Mr. Monkhouse feeing this, fired at him with ball, and he inftantly dropped. Upon this the main body, who had retired to a rock in the middle of the river upon the first difcharge, began to return; two that were near to the man who had been killed, ran up to the body, one feized his weapon of green Talc, and the other endeavoured to fecure the hanger, which Mr. Monkhouse had but just time to prevent. As all that had retired to the rock were now advancing, three of us discharged our pieces, loaded only with small shot, upon which they fwam back for the fhore; and we perceived, up, on their landing, that two or three of them were wounded. They retired flowly up the country, and we reimbarked in our boats.

4

As we had unhappily experienced that nothing was to be done with thefe people at this place, and finding the water in the river to be falt, I proceeded in the boats round the head of the bay in fearch of fresh water, and with a defign, if poffible, to furprise fome of the natives, and take them on board, where by kind treatment and presents I might obtain their friendship, and

by

1769. by their means establish a namicable correspondence with their countrymen.

October.

Monday 9.

To my great regret, I found no place where I could land, a dangerous furf every where beating upon the fhore; but I faw two canoes coming in from the fea, one under fail, and the other worked with paddles. I thought this a favourable opportunity to get fome of the people into my poffeffion without mifchief, as thofe in the canoe were probably fifhermen, and without ârms, and I had three boats full of men. Ì therefore difpofed the boats fo as moft effectually to intercept them in their way to the fhore; the people in the canoe that was' paddled perceived us fo foon, that by making to the nearest land with their utmost strength, they efcaped us; the other failed on till he was in the midst of us, without difcerning what we were; but the moment she discovered us, the people on board ftruck their fail, and took to their paddles, which they plied so brifkly that the out-ran the boat. They were however within hearing, and Tupia called out to them to come along-fide, and promised for us that they thould come to no hurt they chofe, however, rather to trust to their paddles than our promifes, and conti. nued, to make from us with all their power. I then ordered a mufquet to be fired over their heads, as the leaft exceptionable expedient to accomplish