vain. As our gentlemen treated him with a reserve and coolness which he could not but perceive, his flay. was fhort, and he departed in a very abrupt manner; nor could our furgeon the next morning perfuade him to affect a reconciliation by bringing down the nails.

At this time the preparations were made for viewing the Tranfit of Venus, and two parties were fent aut to make obfervations from different fpots, that in cafe of failing in one place they might fucceed in another. They employed themfelves for fome time in preparing their inftruments, and inftructing those gentlemen who were to go out, in the use of them; and on Thurfday the first of June, they fent the long boat with Mr. Gore, Mr. Monkhouse (the two. obfervers) and Mr. Sporing, with proper inftruments to Emayo. Others were fent to find out a fpot that might anfwer the purpofe,ata convenient distance from their principal station.

The party that went towards Emayo, after rowing the greater part of the night, having hailed a canoe, were informed of a place by the Indians on board, which was judged proper for their obfervatory, where they accordingly fixed their tents. It was a rock that rofe out of the water about 140 yards from the shore.

Saturday the 3d (the day of the tranfit) Mr. Banks, as foon as it was light, left them, in order to go and get fresh provifions on the island. This gentleman had the fatisfaction to fee the fun rife without a cloud. The king, whofe name was Tarrao, came to pay him a vifit, as he was trading with the natives, and brought with him Nunna his fifter. As it was cuftomary for the people in these parts to be feated at their conference, Mr. Banks fpread his turban of India cloth, which he wore as a hat, upon the ground, on which they all fat down. Then a hog and dog, fome cocoa-nuts, and bread-fruit were brought, being the king's prefent, and Mr. Banks fent for an adze, a fhirt, and fome beads, which were prefented to his majefly, who received them with apparent fatisfaction. Afterwards the

king, his fifter, and three beautiful females, their attendants, returned with Mr. Banks to the obfervatory, where he fhewed them the tranfit of Venus, when that planet was upon the fun, and acquainted them, that to view it in that fituation was the caufe of his undertaking a voyage to thofe remoter parts. According to this gentleman's account, the produce of this island is nearly the fame with that of Otaheite; the people alfo refembled those of that island, he had seen many of them upon it who were acquainted with the nature of trading articles. The parties that were fent out to make their obfervations on the tranfit, had good fuccefs in the undertaking; though they differed rather more than might have been expected in their account of the contact.

Mr. Green's account was as follows;

Latitude of the obfervatory 17 deg. 29 min. 15 fec. fouth--longitude, 149 deg. 32 min. 30 fec. weft from Greenwich.

While the gentlemen and officers were bufied in viewing the tranfit, fome of the fhip's company having broke into the ftore-room, took the liberty of ftealing a quantity of fpike nails. After a strict search the thief was found out; he had, however, but few of the nails in his poffeffion; but he was ordered to receive two dozen of lafhes, by way of example.

On the 4th an old female of fome diftinction dying, gave us an opportunity of obferving the ceremonies ufed by these iflanders in difpofing of the dead bodies of their people. In the front of the fquare fpace, a fort

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of ftile was placed where the relations of the deceafed food to give token of their grief. There were under the awning fome pieces of cloth, whereon were the tears and blood of the mourners, who used to wound themselves with a fhark's tooth upon thefe occafions. Four temporary houfes were erected at a fmall distance in one of which remained fome of the relations of the deceafed; the chief mourner refided in another; and was dreffed in a particular manner, in order to perform a certain ceremony. When the corpfe is rotten, the bones are buried near the spot. Concerning the cerèmony we are about to speak of, the following is the account we have of it which may not be unentertaining to the reader. It was performed on the 10th, and Mr. Banks was fo defirous of being prefent, that he agreed to take a part in it, when he was informed that he could not be a fpectator on any other condition.

He went accordingly in the evening, to the place where the body was to be depofited where he was met by the relations of the deceased, and was afterwards joined by feveral other perfons. Tubourai Tamaide was the principal mourner, whofe drefs was whimsical, though not altogether ungraceful. Mr. Banks was obliged to quit his European dress, and had no other covering than a small piece of cloth that was tied round his middle; his body was blacked over with charcoal and water, as were the bodies of feveral others, and among them fome females, who were no more covered than himself. The proceffion then began, and the chief mourner uttered fome words which were judged to be a prayer, when he approached the body, and he repeated these words as he came up to his own house. They afterwards went on, by permiffion, towards the fort. It is ufual for the reft of the Indians to shun these proceffions as much as poffible; they accordingly ran nto the woods in great hafte as foon as they came in view. From the fort the mourners proceeded along the fhose, croffed the river, then entered the woods, paff

ing feveral houses, which became immediately uninhabited, and during the reft of the proceffion, which continued for half an hour, not an Indian was visible. Mr. Banks filled an office that they called Niniveh, and there were two others in the fame character. When none of the other natives were to be feen, they approached the chief mourner, faying, Imatata; then those who had affifted at the ceremony bathed in the river, and resumed their former drefs, fuch was this uncommon ceremony, in which Mr. Banks performed a principal part, and received applaufe from Tubourai Tamaide, the chief mourner. What can have introduced among thefe Indians fo ftrange a cuftom as that of expofing their dead above ground, till the flesh is confumed by putrefaction, and then burying the bones, it is perhaps impoffible to guefs; nor is it lefs difficult to determine, why the repofitories of their dead fhould be alfo places of worship.

On the 12th, the Indians having loft fome of their bows and arrows, and ftrings of plaited hair, a complaint was made to the captain. The affair was enquir ed into, and the fact being well attefted, the offenders received each two dozen of lashes.

On the 14th, in the night, an iron coal-rake for the oven was ftole; and many other things having at different times being conveyed away, Capt. Cook judged it of fome confequence, to put an end, if poffible, to fuch practices, by making it their common interest to prevent it. He had already given ftrict orders, that the centinels should not fire upon the Indians, even if they were detected in the fact; but many repeated depredations determined him to make reprisals.

A few days after, twenty feven of their double canoes with fails arrived, containing cargoes of fish; these the Captain feized, and then gave notice, that unless the rake, and all the other things that had been stolen, were returned, the veffels fhould be burnt. The menaces produced no other effect than the reftitution of

the

the rake, all the other things remaining in their poffcffion. The Captain, however, thought fit to give up the cargoes, as the innocent natives were in great diftrefs for want of them, and in order to prevent the confufion arifing from difputes concerning the property of the different lots of goods which they had on board.

On the 19th in the evening, while the canoes were ftill detained, Oberea and feveral of her attendants paid us a vifit. She came from Tootahah's palace, in a double canoe, and brought with her a hog, breadfruit, and other prefents, but not a fingie artical of the things that had been ftolen; these fhe faid had been taken away by her favourite Obadee, whom he had beaten and difmiffed. She feemed however confcious that her story did not deserve credit, and appeared at firft much terrified; though fhe furmounted her fears with great fortitude, and was defirous of fleeping with her attendents in Mr. Banks's tent; but this being refufed, fhe was obliged to pafs the night in her canoe. The next morning Oberea returned, putting herself wholly in our power, when we accepted of her presents which the doubtlefs thought, and juftly too, the most effectual means to bring about a reconciliation.

On June the 26th Capt. Cook fetting out in the pinnace with Mr. Banks, failed to the eaft ward, with a defign of circum-navigating the ifland. They went on fbore in the forenoon, in a diftrict in the government of Ahio, a young chief, who at the tents had frequently been their visitant. Afterwards they procecded to the harbour were M. Bougainville's yelle Jay, and the spot where he pitched his tent.

Coming to a large bay, when the English gentlemen mentioned their defire of going to the other fide, their Indian guide, faid he would not accompany them, and alfo endeavoured to diffuade the captain and his people from going; obferving, "That the country was inhabited by people who were not fubject to Toota"hah, and who would deftroy them all." Notwithftanding

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