November. 1769. talc, wrought into the shape of an axe, and agreed to fell it for a piece of cloth: the cloth was handed over the fhip's fide, but his honour immediately put off his canoe with the axe. We had recourfe to our ufual expedient, and fired a musket ball over the canoe, upon which it put back to the ship, and the piece of cloth was returned; all the boats then went a-fhore, without offering any further intercourfe. At noon, the main land extended from S. by E. to N. W. by W. a remarkable point of land bearing W. distant four or five miles; at three we paffed it, and I gave it the name of CAPE BRET, in honour of Sir Piercy. The land of this Cape is confiderably higher than any part of the adjacent coast: at the point of it, is a high round hillock, and N. E. by N. at the distance of about a mile, is a small high island or rock, which, like feveral that have already been defcribed, was perforated quite through, fo as to appear like the arch of a bridge. This Cape, or at least fome part of it, is by the natives called MOTUGOGOGO, and it lies in latitude 35° 10' 30' S. longitude 185° 25′ W. On the weft fide of it is a large and pretty deep bay, lying in S. W. by W. in which there appeared to be feveral fmall iflands: the point that forms the N. W. entrance lies W. N. at the diftance of three or four leagues from Cape Bret, and I diftinguifhed it by the name of POINT POCOCKE. On the weft fide of the bay we faw feveral villages, both upon iflands and the main, and feveral very large canoes came off to us, full of people, who made a better appearance than any we had feen yet they were all ftout and well-made; their hair, which was black, was tied up in a bunch on the crown of their heads, and stuck with white feathers. In each of the canoes, were two or three Chiefs, whofe habits were of the best fort of cloth, and covered with dog's fkin, fo as to make an agreeable appearance: most of thefe people were marked with the Amoco, like those who had been along-fide of us before: their manner of trading was alfo equally fraudulent; and the officers neglecting either to punish or fright them, one of the midfhipmen, who had been defrauded in his bargain, had recourse, for revenge, to an expedient which was equally ludicrous Iudicrous and fevere; he got a fishing-line, and when the man who had cheated him was close under the ship's fide in his canoe, he heaved the lead with fo good an aim, that the hook caught him by the back-fide; he then pulled the line, and the man holding back, the hook broke in the shank, and the beard was left sticking in the flesh. During the course of this day, though we did not range more than fix or eight leagues of the coaft, we had along-fide and on board the ship between four and five hundred of the natives, which is a proof that this part of the country is well inhabited. At eight o'clock the next morning, we were within Mond. 27. a mile of a group of islands, which lie clofe under the main, at the distance of two-and-twenty miles from Cape Bret, in the direction of N. W. by W. W. At this place, having but little wind, we lay about two hours, during which time several canoes came off, and fold us fome fish, which we called Cavalles, and for that reason I gave the fame name to the islands. These people were very infolent, frequently threatening us, even while they were selling their fish; and when fome more canoes came up, they began to pelt us with stones. Some small shot were then fired, and hit one of them while he had a stone in his hand, in the very action of throwing it into the fhip; they did not, however, defift, till some others had been wounded, and then they went away, and we stood off to fea. The wind being directly against us, we kept plying wednes. 29. to windward till the 29th, when we had rather loft than gained ground; 1 therefore bore up for a bay which lies to the westward of Cape Bret; at this time it was about two leagues to leeward of us; and at about eleven o'clock we anchored under the fouth-west fide of one of the many islands which line it on the fouth-east, in four fathoms and a half water; we fhoaled our water to this depth all at once, and if this had not happened, I should not have come to an anchor fo foon. The master was immediately fent out with two boats to found, and he foon difcovered that we had got upon a bank, which runs out from the north-west end 1769 November. of the island, and that on the outfide of it there was from eight to ten fathoms. In the mean time the natives, to the number of near four hundred, crowded upon us in their canoes, and fome of them were admitted on board: To one, who feemed to be a Chief, I gaye a piece of broad-cloth, and diftributed fome trifling prefents among the rest. I perceived that fome of these people had been about the ship when she was off at fea, and that they knew the power of our fire-arms, for the very fight of a gun threw them into manifeft confufion: under this impreffion they traded very fairly; but the people in one of the canoes took the opportunity of our being at dinner to tow away our buoy. A mufquet was fired over them without effect; we then endeavoured to reach them with fome small shot, but they were too far off. By this time they had got the buoy into their canoe, and we were obliged to fire a musket at them with ball; this hit one of them, and they immediately threw the buoy over-board; a round hot was then fired over them, which ftruck the water and went a-fhore. Two or three of the canoes immediately landed their people, who ran about the beach, as we imagined, in search of the ball. Tupia called to them, and affured them, that while they were honeft they should be fafe, and with a little perfuafion many of them returned to the ship, and their behaviour was fuch, as left us no reason to fufpect that they intended to give us any farther trouble. After the fhip was removed into deeper water, and properly fecured, I went with the pinnace and yawl, manned and armed, accompanied by Mr. Banks and Dr. Solander, and landed upon the island, which was about three quarters of a mile diftant. We observed that the canoes which were about the ship, did not follow us upon our leaving her, which we thought a good fign; but we had no fooner landed than they crowded to different parts of the island, and came on hore. We were in a little cove, and in a few minutes were furrounded by two or three hundred people, fome rushing from behind the heads of the cove, and others appearing on the tops of the hills: they were were November. all armed, but they came on in fo confufed and 1769. ftraggling a manner, that we scarcely fufpected they .meant us any harm, and we were determined that hoftilities should not begin on our part. We marched towards them, and then drew a line upon the fand between them and us, which we gave them to understand they were not to pafs. At first they continued quiet, but their weapons were held ready to ftrike, and they feemed to be rather irrefolute than peaceable. While we remained in this ftate of fufpenfe, another party of Indians came up, and now growing more bold as their number increased, they began the dance and fong, which are their preludes to a battle; ftill, however, they delayed the attack, but a party ran to each of our boats, and attempted to draw them on fhore: this feemed to be the fignal, for the people about us at the fame time began to prefs in upon our line. Our fituation was now become too critical for us to remain longer inactive; I therefore discharged my mufket, which was loaded with small shot, at one of the forwardeft, and Mr. Banks and two of the men fired immediately afterwards. This made them fall back in fome confufion; but one of the Chiefs, who was at the distance of about twenty yards, rallied them, and running forward waving his patoo-patoo, and calling loudly to his companions, led him to the charge. Dr. Solander, whofe piece was not yet difcharged, fired at this champion, who stopped fhort upon feeling the fhot, and then ran away with the reft. They did not, however, difperfe, but got together upon a rifing ground, and feemed only to want fome leader of refolution to renew their attack. As they were now beyond the reach of fmall-fhot, we fired with ball; but as none of them took place, they ftill continued in a body, and in this fituation we remained about a quarter of an hour. In the mean time the fhip, from whence a much greater number of Indians were seen than could be discovered in our fituation, brought her broad-fide to bear, and intirely dif perfed them, by firing a few shot over their heads. In this fkirmish only two of the Indians were hurt with the fmall-fhot, and not a fingle life was loft, which would not have been the cafe if I had not restrained the men, who, either from fear or a love of mifchief, fhewed N 4 November. 1769. fhewed as much impatience to destroy them as a sportsman to kill his game. When we were in quiet poffeffion of our cove we laid down our arms, and began to gather celery, which grew here in great plenty. After a little time, we recollected to have seen some of the people hide themselves in a cave of one of the rocks, we therefore went towards the place, when an old Indian, who proved to be the Chief that I had prefented with a piece of broad-cloth in the morning, came out with his wife and his brother, and, in a fupplicating posture, put themselves under our protection. We fpoke kindly to them, and the old man then told us that he had another brother, who was one of those that had been wounded by the small-shot, and inquired, with much folicitude and concern, if he would die. We affured him that he would not, and at the same time put into his hand both a musket-ball and fome fmall-fhot, telling him, that thofe only who were wounded with the bail would die, and that the others would recover; at the fame time affuring him, that if we were attacked again we should certainly defend ourfelves with the ball, which would wound them mortally. Having now taken courage, they came and fat down by us; and, as tokens of our perfect amity, we made them prefents of fuch trifles as we happened to have about us. Soon after we re-embarked in our boats, and having rowed to another cove in the same island, climbed a neighbouring hill, which commanded the country to a confiderable distance, The profpect was very uncommon and romantic, confifting of innumerable islands, which formed as many harbours, where the water was as smooth as a mill-pool. We faw alfo many towns, fcattered houses, and plantations, the country being much more populous than any we had feen. One of the towns was very near us, from which many of the Indians advanced, taking great pains to fhew us that they were unarmed, and in their gestures and countenances expreffing great meekness and humility. the mean time fome of our people, who, when the Indians were to be punished for a fraud, affumed the inexorable justice of a Lycurgus, thought fit to break into one of their plantations and dig up fome potatoes. In For |