1770. January. buried, but thrown into the fea; but to our inquiry how the body of the man had been difpofed of, to whofe memory this crofs had been Wednes. 24, erected, they refused to answer. When we left these people, we went to the other end of the island, and there taking water, croffed, over to the main, where we faw feveral houses, but no inhabitants, except a few in fome ftraggling canoes, that feemed to be fifhing. After viewing this place, we returned on board the ship to dinner. During our visit to the Indians this day, Tupia being always of our party, they had been obferved to be continually talking of guns, and shooting people: for this fubject of their converfation we could not at all account; and it had fo much engaged our attention, that we talked of it all the way back, and even after we got on board the ship: we had perplexed ourfelves with various conjectures, which were all given up in their turn; but now we learnt, that on the 21ft one of our officers, upon pretence of going out to fish, had rowed up to the Hippah, and that two or three canoes coming off towards his boat, his fears fuggefted that an attack was intended, in confequence of which three muskets were fired, one with fmall fhot, and two with ball, at the Indians, who retired with the utmost precipitation, having probably come out with friendly intentions, for fuch their be haviour 1770. January. haviour both before and afterwards expreffed, and having no reafon to expect fuch treatment Wednef. 24. from people who had always behaved to them not only with humanity, but kindness, and to whom they were not confcious of having given offence. Thurfd. 25. Friday 26. On the 25th, I made another excurfion along the coaft, in the pinnace, towards the mouth of the inlet, accompanied by Mr. Banks and Dr. Solander, and going on shore at a little cove, to fhoot fhaggs, we fell in with a large family of Indians, whofe cuftom it is to disperse themfelves among the different creeks and coves, where fish is to be procured in the greateft plenty, leaving a few only in the Hippah, to which the rest repair in times of danger. Some of these people came out a good way to meet us, and gave us an invitation to go with them to the reft of their party, which we readily accepted. We found a company of about thirty, men, women, and children, who received us with all poffible demonstrations of friendship: we diftributed among them a few ribands and beads, and in return, received the kiffes and embraces of both fexes, both young and old: they gave us also some fish, and after a little time we returned, much pleased with our new acquaintance. In the morning of the 26th, I went again out in the boat, with Mr. Banks and Dr. Solander, and entered one of the bays, which lie on the eaft side of the inlet, in order to get another 1770. January. fight of the ftreight, which paffed between the eastern and western feas. For this purpofe, having landed at a convenient place, we climbed Friday 26. a hill of a very confiderable height, from which we had a full view of it, with the land on the oppofite fhore, which we judged to be about four leagues diftant; but as it was hazey in the horizon, we could not fee far to the fouth eaft; I refolved however to fearch the paffage with the ship, as soon as I fhould put to fea. Upon the top of this hill we found a parcel of loose stones, with which we erected a pyramid, and left in it some musket balls, fmall fhot, beads, and other things, which we happened to have about us, that were likely to stand the test of time, and not being of Indian workmanship, would convince any European who fhould come to the place and pull it down, that other natives of Europe had been there before him. When this was done, we defcended the hill, and made a comfortable meal of the fhaggs and fish which our guns and lines had procured us, and which were dreffed by the boat's crew in a place that we had appointed: in this place we found another Indian family, who received us, as usual, with ftrong expreffions of kindness and pleasure, fhewing us where to procure water, and doing us fuch other good offices as were in their power.. From this place we went to the town, of which the Indians had told us, who vifited us on the 19th: VOL. III. X 1770. January. Friday 26. Saturday 27. Monday 29. 19th: this, like that which we had seen before, was built upon a fmall ifland or rock, fo difficult of accefs, that we gratified our curiofity at the risk of our necks. The Indians here alfo received us with open arms, carried us to every part of the place, and fhewed us all that it contained: this town, like the other, confifted of between eighty and an hundred houfes, and had only one fighting-stage. We happened to have with us a few nails and ribands, and some paper, with which our guests were fo gratified, that at our coming away they filled our boat with dried fish, of which we perceived they had laid up great quantities. The 27th and 28th were spent in refitting the ship for the fea, fixing a transom for the tiller, getting stones on board to put into the bottom of the bread-room, to bring the ship more by the ftern, in repairing the cafks, and catching fish. On the 29th, we received a vifit from our old man, whofe name we found to be TOPAA, and three other natives, with whom Tupia had much converfation. The old man told us, that one of the men who had been fired upon by the officer who had vifited their Hippah, under pretence of fishing, was dead; but to my great comfort I afterwards difcovered that this report was not true, and that if Topāa's discourses were taken literally, they would frequently lead us into mistakes. Mr. Banks and Dr. Solander were feveral times on fhore during the last two 1770. January. or three days, not without fuccefs, but greatly Monday 29. circumfcribed in their walks by climbers of a moft luxuriant growth, which were fo interwoven together, as to fill up the space between the trees about which they grew, and render the woods altogether impaffable. This day alfo I went on fhore again myself, upon the western point of the inlet, and from a hill of confiderable height, I had a view of the coast to the N. W. The fartheft land I could fee in that quarter, was an ifland which has been mentioned before, at the distance af about ten leagues, lying not far from the main: between this island and the place where I ftood, I discovered, clofe under the fhore, feveral other islands, forming many bays, in which there appeared to be good anchorage for fhipping. After I had fet off the different points for my furvey, I erected another pile of ftones, in which I left a piece of filver coin, with fome musket balls and beads, and a piece of an old pendant flying on the top. In my return to the fhip, I made a vifit to several of the natives, whom I faw along the fhore, and purchased a small quantity of fish. On the 30th, early in the morning, I fent a Tuesday go boat to one of the islands for celery, and while the people were gathering it, about twenty of the natives, men, women, and children, landed |