Captain Cook's Journal During His First Voyage Round the World
manner as we could wish, only that they show'd a great inclination to
Pick our Pockets. We were conducted to a Chief, who for distinction sake
we called Hurcules. After staying a short time with him, and distributing
a few Presents about us, we proceeded farther, and came to a Chief who I
shall call Lycurgus; this man entertained us with broil'd fish, Cocoa
Nutts, etc., with great Hospitality, and all the time took great care to
tell us to take care of our Pockets, as a great number of People had
crowded about us. Notwithstanding the care we took, Dr. Solander and Dr.
Monkhouse had each of them their Pockets picked: the one of his spy glass
and the other of his snuff Box. As soon as Lycurgus was made acquainted
with the Theft he dispers'd the people in a moment, and the method he
made use of was to lay hold on the first thing that came in his way and
throw it at them, and happy was he or she that could get first out of his
way. He seem'd very much concern'd for what had hapned, and by way of
recompence offered us but everything that was in his House; but we
refused to accept of anything, and made signs to him that we only wanted
the things again. He had already sent people out after them, and it was
not long before they were return'd. We found the Natives very numerous
wherever we came, and from what we could judge seemed very peacably
inclin'd. About six o'Clock in the evening we return'd on board, very
well satisfied with our little Excursion.
Saturday, 15th. Winds at East during the day, in the Night a light breeze
off the land; and as I apprehend it be usual here for the Trade wind to
blow during a great part of the day from the Eastern Board, and to have
it Calm or light breezes from the land that is Southerly during the night
with fair weather, I shall only mention the wind and weather when they
deviate from this rule. This morning several of the Chiefs we had seen
Yesterday came on board, and brought with them Hogs, Bread fruit, etc.,
and for these we gave them Hatchets, Linnen, and such things as they
valued. Having not met with yesterday a more Convenient situation for
every purpose we wanted than the place we now are, I therefore, without
delay, resolved to pitch upon some spot upon the North-East point of the
Bay, properly situated for observing the Transit of Venus, and at the
same time under the command of the Ship's Guns, and there to throw up a
small fort for our defence. Accordingly I went ashore with a party of
men, accompanied by Mr. Banks, Dr. Solander, and Mr. Green. We took along
with us one of Mr. Banks's Tents, and after we had fix'd upon a place fit
for our purpose we set up the Tent and marked out the ground we intended
to Occupy. By this time a number of the Natives had got collected
together about us, seemingly only to look on, as not one of them had any
weapon, either Offensive or defensive. I would suffer none to come within
the lines I had marked out, excepting one who appeared to be a chief and
old Owhaa--to these 2 men we endeavour'd to explain, as well as we could,
that we wanted that ground to Sleep upon such a number of nights and then
we should go away. Whether they understood us or no is uncertain, but no
one appeared the least displeased at what we was about; indeed the Ground
we had fixed upon was of no use to them, being part of the sandy Beach
upon the shore of the Bay, and not near to any of their Habitations. It
being too late in the day to do anything more, a party with a petty
officer was left to guard the Tent, while we with another party took a
Walk into the woods, and with us most of the natives. We had but just
crossed the River when Mr. Banks shott three Ducks at one shott, which
surprised them so much that most of them fell down as though they had
been shott likewise. I was in hopes this would have had some good effect,
but the event did not prove it, for we had not been long from the Tent
before the natives again began to gather about, and one of them more
daring than the rest pushed one of the Centinels down, snatched the
Musket out of his hand and made a push at him, and then made off, and
with him all the rest. Immediately upon this the Officer ordered the
party to fire, and the Man who took the musket was shot Dead before he
had got far from the Tent, but the musquet was carried quite off when
this hapned. I and Mr. Banks with the other party was about half a Mile
off, returning out of the woods, upon hearing the firing of Muskets, and
the Natives leaving us at the same time, we Suspected that something was
the matter and hastened our march, but before we arrived the whole was
over, and every one of the Natives fled except old Owhaa, who stuck by us
the whole time, and I believe from the first he either knew or had some
suspicion that the People would attempt something at the Tent, as he was
very much against our going into the Woods out of sight of the Tent.
However, he might have other reasons, for Mr. Hicks, being ashore the day
before, the natives would not permit him to go into the Woods. This made
me resolved to go and see whether they meant to prescribe bounds to us or
no. Old Owhaa, as I have said before, was the only one of the Natives
that stayed by us, and by his means we prevail'd on about 20 of them to
come to the Tent and there sit down with us, and Endeavour'd by every
means in our power to Convince them that the Man was kill'd for taking
away the Musket, and that we still would be friends with them. At sunset
they left us seemingly satisfied, and we struck our Tent and went on
board.
Sunday, 16th. This day worked the Ship nearer the Shore and moored her in
such a manner as to command all the shore of the North-East part of the
Bay, but more particularly the place where we intended to Erect a Fort.
Punished Richard Hutchins, seaman, with 12 lashes for disobeying
commands. Several of the Natives came down to the shore of the Bay, but
not one of them came off to the Ship during the whole day. In the evening
I went on shore with only a Boat's crew and some of the Gentlemen. The
Natives gathered about us to the Number of about 30 or 40, and brought us
Cocoa Nuts, etc., and seemed as friendly as ever.
Monday, 17th. At two o'Clock this morning, departed this life, Mr. Alex
Buchan, Landskip Draftsman to Mr. Banks, a Gentleman well skill'd in his
profession and one that will be greatly missed in the Course of this
Voyage. He had long been subject to a disorder in his Bowels, which had
more than once brought him to the very point of Death, and was at one
time subject to fits, of one of which he was taken on Saturday morning;
this brought on his former disorder, which put a Period to his life. Mr.
Banks thought it not so advisable to Inter the Body ashore in a place
where we were utter strangers to the Custom of the Natives on such
occasions; it was therefore sent out to sea and committed to that Element
with all the decency the Circumstance of the place would admit of. This
morning several of the Chiefs from the westward made us a Visit: they
brought with them Emblems of Peace, which are Young Plantain Trees. These
they put on board the Ship before they would venture themselves. They
brought us a present of 2 Hogs (an Article we find here very Scarce) and
some Bread Fruit; for these they had Hatchets and other things. In the
afternoon we set up one of the Ship's Tents ashore, and Mr. Green and
myself stay'd there the night to observe an eclipse of Jupiter's first
Satilite, which we was hinder'd from seeing by Clouds.
Tuesday, 18th. Cloudy weather with some showers of rain. This morning
took as many people out of the Ship as could possibly be spared, and set
about Erecting a Fort. Some were employ'd in throughing up intrenchment,
while others was cutting facines, Picquets, etc. The Natives were so far
from hindering us that several of them assisted in bringing the Picquets
and facines out of the woods, and seemed quite unconcern'd at what we was
about. The wood we made use of for this occasion we purchased of them,
and we cut no Tree down before we had first obtained their Consent. By
this time all the Ship's sails were unbent and the Armourer's Forge set
up to repair the Ironwork, etc. Served fresh Pork to the Ship's Company
to-day for the first time. This is like to be a very scarce Article with
us, but as to Bread fruit, Cocoa Nutts and Plaintains, the Natives supply
us with as much as we can destroy.
Wednesday, 19th. This morning Lycurgus, whose real name is
Toobouratomita, came with his family from the Westward in order, from
what we could understand, to live near us. He brought with him the cover
of a House, with several other Materials for building one. We intend to
requite the confidence this man seems to put in us by treating him with
all imaginable kindness. Got on shore some Empty Casks, which we placed
in a double row along the Bank of the River, by way of a breast work on
that side.
Thursday, 20th. Wind at South-East and Squally, with rain. All hands
employ'd on shore, and nothing remarkable, excepting a Hog weighing about
90 pound was brought alongside the Ship for Sale, but those who brought
it would not part with it for anything we could offer them but a
Carpenter's broad axe, and this was what we could not part with; they
carried it away. Thus we see those very People who but 2 years ago
prefer'd a spike Nail to an Axe of any Sort, have so far learnt the use
of them that they will not part with a Pig of 10 or 12 pounds weight for
anything under a Hatchet, and even those of an inferior or small sort are
of no great esteem with them, and small Nails such as 10 penny, 20 penny,
or any under 40 penny, are of no value at all; but beads, particularly
white cut glass beads, are much valued by them. Mr. Banks and Dr.
Solander lays ashore to-night for the first time, their Markee's being
set up within the Walls of the Fort and fit for their reception.
Friday, 21st. Got the Copper Oven ashore and fixed it in the bank of the
breastwork. Yesterday, as Mr. Green and Dr. Monkhouse were taking a walk,
they happened to meet with the Body of the Man we had shott, as the
Natives made them fully understand; the manner in which the body was
interred being a little extraordinary. I went to-day, with some others,
to see it. Close by the House wherein he resided when living was built a
small shed, but whether for the purpose or no I cannot say, for it was in
all respects like some of the Sheds or Houses they live in. This shed was
about 14 or 16 feet long, 10 or 12 broad, and of a proportionable height.
One end was wholy open, the other end and two sides was partly inclosed
with a kind of wicker'd work. In this Shed lay the Corps, upon a Bier or
frame of wood, with a matted bottom, like a Cott frame used at Sea, and
Supported by 4 Posts about 5 feet from the Ground. The body was cover'd
with a Matt, and over that a white Cloth; alongside of the Body lay a
wooden Club, one of their Weapons of War. The Head of the Corps lay next
the close end of the Shed, and at this end lay 2 Cocoa Nutt Shells, such
as they sometimes use to carry water in; at the other end of the Shed was
a Bunch of Green leaves, with some dry'd twigs tied all together and
stuck in the Ground, and a stone lying by them as big as a Cocoa Nutt.
Near to these lay a young Plaintain Tree, such as they use as Emblems of
Peace, and by it lay a stone Axe. At the open end of the Shed was stuck
upwright in the ground the Stem of a Plaintain Tree about 5 feet high, on
the Top of which stood a Cocoa Nutt shell full of fresh water, and on the
side of the post hung a small Bag, wherein was a few pieces of Bread
Fruit roasted ready for eating. Some of the pieces were fresh and others
Stale. The Natives did not seem to like that we should go near the body,