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weft fide, not far from the fea. We had not that dif ficulty mentioned in the hiftory of Lord Anson's voyage, in finding where the Streight of Le Maire lies.

The Streight of Le Maire is bounded on the west by Terra del Fuego, and on the eaft by the weft end of Staten illand, and is nearly five leagues in length, nor less in breadth. The bay of Good Succefs is feated about the middle of it, on the fide of Terra del Fuego, which prefents itself at the entrance of the Streight from the northward; and at the fouth end of it may be distinguished by a land mark, resembling a road from the fea to the country. It affords good anchorage, and plenty of wood and water.

January the 26th we took our departure from Cape Horn, and the fartheft fouthern latitude we made was 60 deg. 10 min. and our long. was then.74 deg. 30 min. weft. Cape Horn is fituated in 55 deg. 53 min. fouth latitude, and 68 deg. 13 min. weft long. The weather being calm, Mr. Banks failed in a fmail boat to fhoot birds, when he killed fome fheer-waters and albatroffes. At this time we found ourselves to be 12 deg. to the weftward, and three and a half to the northward of the. Streight of Magellan, having from the eaft entrance of the Streight, being 33 days in failing round Cape Horn.

March ift, we found ourselves both by obfervation and the log, in lat 38 deg. 44 min. fouth, and 110 deg. 33 min. weft longitude, a concurrence very fingular in a run of 660 leagues; and which proved, that no current had affected the fhip in her courfe; and it was likewife concluded, that we had not come near land of any confiderable extent; for currents are always found at no great distance from the flore. On the 25th a marine about twenty threw himself overboard, on account of a quarrel about a piece of feal fkin, which he took by way of frolic; but being charged with it as a theft, he took the accufation fo

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much to heart, that in the dusk of the evening he threw himself into the fea and was drowned.

On the 14th of April about ten o'clock A. M. Peter Briscoe, fervant to Mr. Banks, difcovered land to the fouth, at the diftance of about three or four leagues. Captain Cook immediately gave orders to haul for it, when we found an island of an oval form, having a lagoon or lake in the center, that extended over the greater part of it. The furrounding border of land was low and narrow in many places, especially towards the fouth, where the beach confifted of a reef of rocks. Several of the natives were difcovered on fhore; they appeared to be tall, with heads remarkable large, which probably fome bandage might have encreased. Some of thefe people were seen a-breaft of the fhip, holding poles or pikes of twice their own height. They appeared also naked; but when they retired, on the fhips's paffing the islands, they put on a light coloured covering. Our Captain called this place Lagoon ifland. It lay in 18 deg. fouth lat. and 139 weft longatude.

CHA P. III.

The Endeavour arrives at Olaheite, or George the Third's ifland- -An account of feveral incidents during his flay in this ifland- Excurfions into the woods- Vifits from feveral of the Chiefs The mufic of the natives, and "their manner of burying their deadOther excurfions and incidents, both on board and on fhoreview with Oberea, the fuppofed Queen of the The quadrant ftolen, and the confequences- A vifit to Teotalah, an Indian Chief-A wrefling match defcribed- European feeds are Jown-The Indians give our people names.

First interisland

N the 11th we made Otaheite, or as Captain Wallis had named it, King George the Third's ifland. The calms prevented our approaching it till

the

the morning, when a breeze fprung up and feveral canoes were seen making towards the thip. Few of them, however, would come near, and those who did, could not be perfuaded to come on board. They had brought with them young plantains and branches of trees, which were hauled up the fhip's fide, and, by their defire, were ftuck in confpicuous parts of the rigging, as tokens of peace and frendship. We then purchafed their commodities, confifting of cocoa-nuts, bannas, bread fruit, apples and figs, which were very acceptable to the crew. On the evening of the fame, we opened the north-west point of the ifle, to which the Dolphin's people had given the name of Yorkilland. We lay off and on all night, and in the morning of the 13th we entered Port Royal harbour in the Illand of Otaheite, and anchored within half a mile of the fhore. Many of the natives came off immediately in their canoes, and brought with them bread-fruit, cocoa-nuts, apples, and fome hops, which they bartered for beads and other trinkets, with the fhip's company.

Among those who came on board the Endeavour, was an elderly man, named Owhaw, known to Mr. Gore and others who had vifited this island with Capt. Wallis. Owhaw being confidered by our gentlemen as a very useful man, they ftudied to pleafe him, and to gratify all his wishes. As our continuance in George's ifland was not likely to be very fhort, certain rules were drawn up to be obferved by every perfon on board, for the better eftablishing a regular trade with the natives. The fubftance of thefe rules were,

"That in order to prevent quarrels and confufion, every one of the fhip's crew fhould endeavour to treat the inhabitants of Otaheite with humanity, and by all fair means to cultivate a friendship with them. That no officer, feamen, or other perfon belonging to the ship, excepting fuch only who were appointed to

barter

barter with the natives, fhould trade, or offer to trade for any kinds of provifions, fruit, or other produce of the ifland, without having exprefs leave fo to do. That no perfon fhould embezzle, trade, or offer to trade with any part of the fhip's ftores; and that no fort of iron, or any thing made of iron, nor any fort of cloth, or other ufeful article in the fhip fhould be given in exchange for any thing but provifion." These neceffary rules were figned by Captain Cook, and being his orders, to the non-observance of them were annexed certain penalties, befides the punishment according to the usual custom of the navy.

When the bark was properly fecured, Capt. Cook, Mr. Banks, and Dr. Solander, went on fhore, with a party under arms, and their friend the old Indian. They were received by fome of the natives with awe and reverence, who exchanged the tokens of peace, and offered to conduct them to a fpot of ground, which would be more convenient for them to occupy than where they had landed. On their way, the English made the Indians fome prefents, which the latter very thankfully received. They now took a circuit of about four miles through groves of breadfruit, and cocoa-trees. Intermingled with these were the dwellings of the natives, which confifted of huts without walls. In the courfe of their journey, they found but few fowls or hogs, and understood that none of their conductors, nor any of the people they had hitherto feen, were perfons of rank in the island. Thofe of our crew who had been before at Otaheite, were likewife of opinion, that the Queen's refidence had been removed, as no trace of it were now to be difcovered.

Next day, in the morning, before they could leave the fhip, feveral canoes came about her filled with people, whofe drefs denoted them to be of the fuperior clafs. Two of these came on board, aud each of them fixed upon a friend: one of them chofe Mr.

Banks

Banks, and the other Capt. Cook. The ceremonials confifted of taking off their clothes in great part, and putting them upon their adopted friends. This comphiment was returned by our gentlemen prefenting them with fome trinkets. They then made figns for their new friends to go with them to the place of their abode and the latter being defirous of being acquainted with the people, and finding out a more convenient harbour accepted the invitation, and went with them, accompanied by Mr. Banks and Dr. Solander, Capt. Cook, and others. We all landed in two boats at the diftance of three miles, among a great number of the natives, who conducted us to a large habitation, where we were introduced to a middleaged man, named Tohtahah. When we were feated, he prefented to Mr. Banks, a cock, a hen, and a piece of perfumed cloth, which compliment was returned by a present from Mr. Banks. We were then conducted to several other large dwellings, wherein we walked about with great freedom. The ladies, fo far from fhunning, invited, and even preffed us to be feated; by frequently pointing to the mats, upon the ground.

Walking afterwards along the fhore, we met, accompanied by a great number of natives, another chief named Tabourai Tamaide, with whom we settled tray of peace, in the manner before defcribed. This he gave us to understand, that he had provifionsr fervice, if we chofe to eat, which he produced, and we dined heartily upon bread-fruit, plantains, and fish. During this visit, Tomio, the chief's wife, placed herfelf upon the fame mat with Mr. Banks's clofe by him; but as fhe was not young, nor appeared ever to have poffeffed many charms, this gentleman paid little attention to her? and Tomio rcceived an additional mortification, when Mr. Banks beckoned to a pretty girl, who came and placed herfelf by him. The princefs was fomewhat chagrined

at

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