In the ensuing night, while we were all on board, the natives assembled on the shore, which was about three miles distance, talked loud, and were very clamorous. We ordered a strict watch to be kept all the night, lest they should come off in their canoes and surprise us.

Early on the morning of the 10th, the long-boat, pinnace, and yaul, went on shore again; landed near the river where they had been the night before, and attempted to find a watering place. Several of the natives came toward them, and, with much entreating, we prevailed on some of them to cross the river, to whom we gave several things, which they carried back to their companions on the other side of the river, who seemed to be highly pleased with them, and testified their joy by a war-dance. Appearing to be so pacifically disposed, our company went over to them, and were received in a friendly manner. Some of the natives were armed with lances, and others with a kind of stone truncheon; through the handle of it was a string, which they twisted round the hand that held it when they attempted to strike at any person. [See pl. XV.] We would have purchased some of their weapons, but could not prevail on them to part with them on any terms. One of them, however, watched an opportunity, and snatched a hanger from us; our people resented the affront by firing upon them, and killed three of them on the spot, but the rest, to our surprise, did not appear to be intimidated at the sight of their expiring countrymen, who lay weltering in their blood; nor did they seem to breathe any revenge upon the occasion; attempting only to wrest the hanger out of the man's hand that had been shot, and to take the weapons that belonged to their other two deceased comrades; which having effected, they quietly departed. After having taken possession of the country, in form, for the king, our company embarked, and went round the bay in search of water again, and to apprehend, if possible, some of the natives, to gain farther information of them respecting the island. They had not gone far before they saw a canoe; gave chace to it, and, when they came up with it, the crew threw stones at them, and were very daring and insolent. Our people had recourse to their arms: the Captain, Dr. Solander, and Mr. Banks, fired at them, and killed and wounded several of them. The natives fought very desperately with their paddles, but were soon overpowered: their canoe was taken, three of them made prisoners, and brought on board the ship, and the rest were suffered to escape. They were, in person, much like the natives of Otaheite, and had their lips marked with a blue colour, but no other part of their bodies, in which they differed from the before-mentioned people. They talked very loud, but were rude in their address, and more unpolished than the Otaheiteans. We were much surprised to find they spoke the Otaheitean language, though in a different dialect, speaking very guttural, having a kind of hec, which some of the people of Yoolee-Etea have in their speech. Toobaiah understood them very well, notwithstanding they make frequent use of the G and K, which the people of Otaheite do not. Their canoe was thirty feet long, made of planks sewed together, and had a lug-sail made of matting.

Voyaging Accounts