Chapter III: Part 3

On the 11th they observed about sixteen persons on an island which was called GLOUCESTER ISLAND; but, as it was surrounded with rocks and breakers, they did not attempt to land. This day they likewise discovered another, which was called CUMBERLAND ISLAND; and, on the day following, a third, which received the name of PRINCE WILLIAM HENRY’S ISLAND.

On the 17th they again discovered land, and at ten at night saw a light, which convinced them that it was inhabited; and remarked, that there was plenty of cocoa-trees, a certain indication that there was no want of water.

The day following an officer was sent to the shore, with instructions to exchange some toys for such things as the island produced. He saw a great number of the people, but could find no place in which the ship might anchor. Some of the Indians, who had white sticks in their hands, appeared to have an authority over the rest. While the Lieutenant was trafficking with them, an Indian diving into the water seized the grappling of the boat, while his companions on the shore laid hold of the rope by which she was fastened, and attempted to draw her into the surf: but their endeavours were frustrated by the firing of a musket, on which all parties let go their hold. These Indians were dressed in a kind of cloth, a piece of which was brought to the ship.

From the number of the people seen, and their having some large double canoes on the shore, it was thought that there were larger islands at no great distance: the Captain, therefore, having named this place OSNABURGH ISLAND, made sail, and having soon discovered high land, came to an anchor, because the weather was very foggy.

Early the next morning they saw land, distant 4 or 5 leagues; but after having sailed towards it some time, thought it prudent again to anchor, on account of the thickness of the fog: but it no sooner cleared away, than they found the ship encompassed by hundreds of canoes, in which were many hundreds of people. Having approached the ship, they beheld it with wonder, and talked with great earnestness. Some baubles were now shewn them, and signs were made for them to come on board, on which they rowed the canoes towards each other, and a general consultation took place; at the conclusion of which they all surrounded the ship with an appearance of friendship, and one of them delivered an oration, at the conclusion of which he threw into the sea the branch of a plantain-tree which he had held in his hand. This being done, a young Indian, of more apparent courage than the rest, ventured on board the ship. The Captain would have given him some baubles, but he refused the acceptance of them till those in the canoes came a-longside, and, having held a consultation, threw on board several branches of the plantain-tree. Others now ventured on board; but it was remarked, that they all got into the ship at some improper part, not one of them, even by accident, finding the right place of ascent.

A goat belonging to the ship having ran his horns against the back of one of the Indians, he looked round with surprize, and seeing the animal ready to renew the attack, he sprang over the ship’s side, and was instantly followed by all his countrymen. Their terror, however, soon subsided, and they returned to the ship; and the sheep, hogs and poultry being shewn them, they intimated that they possessed the two latter species. The Captain now gave them nails and other trifles, and made signs that he wanted hogs, fowls and fruit; but they could not comprehend him. They were detected in several attempts to take away any thing they could lay hold of; but one of them, at length, jumped overboard with a laced hat snatched from one of the officers.

The inner parts of the island abound in hills cloathed with timber trees, above them are high peaks, from which large rivers descend to the sea. The houses, when seen at a distance, resemble a barn, having no shelter but a roof: the land towards the sea is level, and produces the cocoa-nut, with variety of other fruits; and the face of the whole country is picturesque beyond description.

They now sailed along the shore, while the canoes, which could not keep pace with them, made towards the land. In the afternoon the ship brought to, and the boats being sent to sound a bay that promised good anchorage, the Indian canoes flocked round them. The Captain, apprehensive that their designs were hostile, made a signal for the boats to return to the ship, and fired a gun over the heads of the Indians. Though they were frightened at the report, they attempted to prevent the return of the cutter, but she easily out-sailed them. This being observed by some canoes in a different station, they intercepted her, and wounded some of her people with stones, which occasioned the firing a musket, and some shot were lodged in the shoulder of the man who began the attack; which the Indians observing, they all made off with the utmost precipitation.

The boats having reached the ship, preparations were made for sailing; but a large canoe being observed to make towards her at a great rate, it was resolved to wait the event of her arrival; on which an Indian, making a speech, threw a plantain-branch on board, and the Captain returned the compliment of peace, by giving them a branch, which had been left on board by the other Indians: some toys being likewise given them, they departed with much seeming satisfaction.

They now sailed; and the next morning were off a peak of land which was almost covered with the natives and their houses. On the 21st the ship came to an anchor, and several canoes came a-longside of her, bringing a large quantity of fruit, with fowls and hogs, for which they received nails and toys in exchange. The boats having been sent to sound along the coast, were followed by large double canoes, three of which ran at the cutter, staved in her quarter, and otherwise damaged her; the Indians, at the same time, armed with clubs, endeavouring to board her. The crew now fired, and wounding one man dangerously, and killing another, they both fell into the sea, whither their companions dived after them, and got them into the canoe. They now tried if they could stand or sit; but as the one was quite dead, they laid him at the bottom of the canoe; and the wounded man was supported in a sitting posture. The ships boats now kept on their way, while some of the canoes went ashore, and others returned to the ship to renew their merchandize.

While the boats continued out in search of soundings, the natives swam off to them with water and fruit. The women were particularly urgent for the sailors to land, and, pulling off all their cloaths, gave hints, of the most indelicate nature, how acceptable their company would be.

The boats being sent on shore with some small casks to get water, the Indians filled two of them, and kept all the rest for their trouble. When the boats came off, the shore was crouded with thousands of men, women, and children. During this time several canoes remained a-longside the ship; but the Captain would not permit a single Indian to go on board, as there was no guarding against their artful disposition.

On the 22d the natives brought hogs, poultry, and fruit to the ship, which they bartered for knives and other things; so that the whole crew was supplied with meat for two days, by means of this traffick. The boats having been this day sent for water, every inducement was used by the inhabitants to persuade them to land: and the behaviour of the women was still more lascivious than before. Having procured a small quantity of water, the boats put off; on which the women shouted aloud, pelted them with apples and bananas, and shewed every mark of contempt and detestation.

The ship made sail the day following, with intention to anchor off the watering-place; but the man at the mast-head discovering a bay a few miles to the leeward, they immediately stood for it. The boats, which were a-head, making a signal for anchorage, they prepared to bring to; but when the ship had almost reached the boats, she suddenly struck, and her head remained immoveably fixed on a coral rock; in which situation she remained near an hour, when she was happily relieved by a breeze from the shore. During the whole time that she was in danger of being wrecked, she was encompassed by hundreds of Indians in their canoes; but not one of them attempted to board her. The ship was now piloted round a reef, into an harbour, where she moored.

The Master was then sent to sound the bay, and found safe anchorage in every part of it. In the mean time some small canoes brought provisions on board; but as the shore was crouded with large canoes, filled with men, the Captain loaded and primed his guns, supplied his boats with musquetoons, and kept a number of the men constantly under arms.

On the 24th the ship sailed up the harbour, and was followed by many canoes, bringing provisions, which were exchanged for nails, knives, &c. In the evening a number of very large canoes advanced, laden with stones; on which the Captain ordered the strictest watch to be kept. At length some canoes came off, with a number of women on board, who, being brought almost under the ship, began to practise those arts of indelicacy already mentioned. During this singular exhibition the large canoes came close round the ship; some of the Indians playing on a kind of flute, others singing, and the rest blowing a sort of shells. Soon after a large canoe advanced, in which was an awning, on the top of which sat one of the natives, holding some yellow and red feathers in his hand. The Captain having consented to his coming a-longside, he delivered the feathers; and while a present was preparing for him, he put back from the ship, and threw the branch of a cocoa-tree in the air. This was, doubtless, the signal for an onset; for there was an instant shout from all the canoes, which, approaching the ship, threw vollies of stones into every part of her. On this two guns, loaded with small shot, were fired, and the people on guard discharged their muskets. The number of Indians now round the ship were full two thousand; and though they were at first disconcerted, they soon recovered their spirits, and renewed the attack. Thousands of the Indians were now observed on shore, embarking as fast as the canoes could bring them off: orders were therefore given for firing the cannon, some of which were brought to bear upon the shore. This firing put a stop to all hostilities, on the part of the Indians, for a small time: but the scattered canoes soon got together again, and, having hoisted white streamers, advanced, and threw stones of two pounds weight from slings; by which a number of the seamen were wounded. At this time several canoes approached the bow of the ship, from whence no shot had been yet discharged. In one of these was an Indian, who appeared to have an authority over the rest: a gun was therefore levelled at his canoe, the shot of which split it in two pieces. This put an end to the contest; the canoes rowed off with the utmost speed, and the people on shore ran and concealed themselves behind the hills.

The Captain now sailed for his intended anchoring-place, and moored the ship within a small distance of a fine river. The next morning some persons, who had been sent to survey the shore, returned with an account that the river produced fresh water, and that there was not a single canoe to be seen.

This day a Lieutenant was dispatched, with all the boats manned and armed, and a number of marines, with orders to land under cover of the ship and boats; which being effected, he turned a piece of turf, and having hoisted a pendant on a staff, he took possession of the place, for his Sovereign, by the name of KING GEORGE THE THIRD’S ISLAND. He then mixed some rum with the river water, and every person present drank the King’s health. At this time the Lieutenant observed two old men on the opposite side of the river, who seemed much terrified, and assumed a posture of supplication. Signs were made for them to cross the river, which one of them having done, he crawled on his hands and knees towards the Lieutenant; who, shewing him some stones that had been thrown at the ship, hinted that the Indians should receive no harm if they were not the aggressors. Some hatchets were now produced, to intimate that they wished to barter for provisions; and some trifling matters were given to the Indian, who testified his joy and gratitude by dancing round the pendant. He then plucked some branches of trees, which he laid on the ground, and retreated; but soon returning with several others, they advanced towards the pendant, which happening to be shaken by the wind, they ran back with evident signs of astonishment. They soon recovered from their surprize, and procuring two hogs, laid them down at the foot of the flag-staff, and danced round it; after which they put the hogs into a canoe, and the old Indian rowed it to the ship: when he came a-longside he delivered a serious oration, in the course of which he handed up a number of plantain-leaves, one at a time: this being done, he rowed back, after refusing several presents that had been offered him.

In the night a number of lights were seen on the coast, and the noise of drums and other instruments of music was heard. Soon after daylight it was observed that the Indians had left the coast, and taken away the pendant. This day, while a party was engaged in filling the water-casks, the old man, who had been seen the day before, crossed the river, and brought with him some fowls and fruit. The Captain, who was indisposed on board the ship, employed himself in remarking what was going forward on shore; and, by the help of glasses, he saw many of the Indians creeping behind the bushes towards the watering-place, while incredible numbers were coming through the woods, and a large party descending a hill, all advancing to the same spot; and two divisions of canoes were making round the opposite points of the bay. The Lieutenant, seeing his danger, got his party on board the boats; but not before he had sent the old Indian to prevail on the others to keep at a proper distance, as he wanted only water:--but this had no effect; and, as soon as the crews were in the boats, the natives possessed themselves of the casks as lawful prize. Those at some distance from the watering-place pushed forward with all speed, keeping pace with the canoes, which were rowed at an extraordinary rate; while a great number of women and children were seated on a hill, from whence they could command a view of all that passed.

When the canoes came near that part of the bay where the ship rode, they took in many people from the shore, who were laden with bags filled with stones. All the canoes now approached the ship; on which the Captain gave orders to fire on the first cluster of them that should assemble; this had such an effect, that they all rowed off with the utmost speed. They then fired into several parts of the wood, on which the Indians all fled to the hill where the women and children were; so that several thousands were now on that spot. The Captain being resolved to make this action decisive, fired towards the hill; and two balls falling near a spot where many of these poor Indians had stationed themselves, they were all terrified beyond description, and disappeared in an instant.

When this disagreeable skirmish was ended, the boats were hoisted out, and a strong guard sent with the carpenters, who had orders to destroy every canoe they could find; and this service was performed with such alacrity, that in a few hours a great number of these vessels were cut in pieces, several of which were of the largest size. Some fruit, fowls, and hogs, were found in a few of the smallest; but the rest were laden with stones and slings.

It was not long before a small party of Indians advanced to the sea-shore, and sticking up some small branches of trees, went back to the woods: but they came again repeatedly, bringing with them a quantity of the cloth they wear, and some dogs and hogs with their legs tied; all which they laid on the shore, making signs to the sailors to take them. A boat being sent on shore, the hogs were conveyed on board, but the other articles left. In return for these presents, several hatchets and nails were left on the beach, and signs made to some of the Indians within sight to come and take them; which they neglected to do for some time, till the Captain having sent for the cloth, the natives then accepted his presents with apparent satisfaction.

On the 27th, while a party was getting water, the old man before-mentioned appeared on the opposite side of the river; and having harangued them some time, he came over; when the officer, pointing to the bags and stones which had been brought down, tried to convince him that his countrymen had injured the English, who had acted only on the defensive. His meaning seemed to be well understood, but the old Indian could not admit the force of his arguments:--on the contrary, he expressed very forcibly, by his countenance, voice, and actions, the high sense he had of the injury offered his unhappy friends. At length a reconciliation took place; the old man shook hands with, and accepted some presents from the Lieutenant, who tried to convince him of his good-will; hinted that the natives should not appear but in small parties, and that while the boats crews were on one side of the river they should remain on the other. The old man departed with evident signs of being content with these terms; and in a few hours the natives began a traffic, which proved highly advantageous to the ship’s company.

The sick were now sent on shore, and lodged in a tent near the watering-place, under the care of the Surgeon. This gentleman having shot a wild-duck, it dropped near some Indians on the opposite side of the river, who were so terrified that they instantly fled; but stopping within a short space, he prevailed on one of them to bring over the duck, which he at length complied with, and laid it at the Surgeon’s feet, while his looks expressed the fear and agitation of his mind. At a second shot three ducks were killed; which gave the natives such an idea of the effects of a gun, that to this circumstance is chiefly attributed the regularity of their behaviour in all their transactions, while the English remained among them.

Orders were now issued, that the gunner should transact all matters of trade between the Indians and the sailors, with a view to prevent pilfering and quarrelling: the natives, indeed, would sometimes steal a trifle, but the very sight of a gun procured instant restitution of it. The old Indian, having been attached to the English, was very useful in the recovery of the stolen goods. One day an Indian swam over the river, and took a hatchet, on which the gunner made preparations as if he would go in search of the thief; but this being intimated to the old man, he immediately went after the lost goods, which he brought back. The gunner now demanded that the culprit should also be produced, and the old Indian complied, though much against his inclination. The prisoner, who had committed other robberies, was sent on board the ship, whence the Captain discharged him, without farther punishment than the terror arising from his situation. His countrymen were transported with joy to see him come back; and he was conducted into the woods, amidst the applausive shouts of his friends. This man had the gratitude to bring a roasted hog and some bread-fruit to the gunner next day, as an acknowledgment for the lenity shewn him.

The Captain, First Lieutenant, and Purser, were at this time very ill; so that the care of the vessel, and the superintendence of the sick, were committed to the Second Lieutenant, who discharged his duty with such zeal and fidelity, that all was order and decorum. Fruit, fowls, and fresh pork, were procured in such plenty, that at the end of fourteen days almost every man had perfectly recovered his health.

On the 29th a piece of saltpetre, of the size of a small egg, was found on shore; but whether it had been brought from the ship, or not, could not be learnt, after the most diligent enquiry; but no other piece was found on the island.

On the 2d of July they began to want fruit and fresh meat, owing to the absence of the old Indian; but they had still a sufficient supply for the sick. On the 3d the ship’s bottom was examined, when its condition was nearly the same as when she left England. This day a shark was caught, which proved an acceptable present to the Indians.

The old Indian, who had visited the interior parts of the island, in quest of provisions, returned on the 5th, and brought with him a roasted hog as a present for the Captain, who, in return, enriched him by putting him in possession of a looking-glass, an iron pot, &c. His return was soon followed by some of the natives who had never yet visited the market; these brought some hogs that were larger than any yet purchased.

A traffick of a singular kind was now established between the Indian girls and the sailors. The price of a lady’s favour was a nail or two; but as the tars could not always get at the nails, they drew them out from several parts of the ship; nor could a single offender be discovered by the strictest enquiry. The damage done to the ship could be easily repaired; but one ill consequence arose from this traffick, which could not have been foreseen: for on the gunner’s offering small nails for hogs, the Indians produced large spikes, demanding such as those. Some of the men made use of a singular device to gratify their passions; for, when they could procure no more nails, they cut lead into the shape of nails, and passed it as sterling on their unsuspecting fair ones. When the Indians discovered the fraud, they demanded nails for the lead; but this just demand could not be granted, because it would have promoted the stealing of lead, and thereby injured the traffic with iron.

The sailors, in consequence of their connection with the women, became so impatient of controul, that the Captain ordered the articles of war to be read, to awe them into obedience; and a Corporal of marines was severely punished, for striking the master at arms. The Captain’s health being now nearly restored, he went in his boat to survey the island, which he found extremely delightful, and every where well peopled.

On the 8th the wood-cutters were entertained in a friendly manner by some Indians, who seemed to be of a rank above those they had yet seen: and some of these visiting the Captain, he laid before them a thirty-six shilling piece, a guinea, a crown-piece, a dollar, some shillings, new halfpence, and two large nails; and having intimated that they might take their choice, they eagerly seized the nails, and then took a few halfpence; but left all the other pieces untouched.

The Indians now refused to supply the market, unless they could get large nails in exchange: the Captain therefore ordered the ship to be searched, when it was found that almost all the hammock-nails were stolen, and great numbers drawn from different places: on which every man was ordered before the Captain, who told them, that not a man should go on shore till the thieves were discovered; but no good consequence arose from his threats.

Three days after this, the gunner conducted to the ship a lady of a portly figure and agreeable face, whose age seemed to be upwards of forty. This lady had but lately arrived in that part of the island; and the gunner, observing that she seemed to have great authority, presented her with some toys; on which she invited him to her house, and gave him some fine hogs. She was afterwards taken on board at her own desire, where her whole behaviour indicated the woman of fine sense and superior rank. The Captain presented her with a looking-glass and some toys, and gave her a handsome blue mantle, which he tied round her with ribbands.

Having intimated that she should be glad to see the Captain on shore, he signified his intention of visiting her on the following day. Accordingly on Sunday the 12th, Captain Wallis went on shore, where he was met by his fair friend, who was attended by a numerous retinue, some of whom she directed to carry the Captain, and others who had been ill, over the river, and thence to her habitation: the procession was closed by a guard of marines and seamen. As they advanced, great numbers of Indians crowded to see them; but, on a slight motion of her hand, they made ample room for the procession to pass.

Having come near her habitation, many persons of both sexes advanced to meet her, whom she caused to kiss the Captain’s hand, while she signified that they were related to her. Her house was above 320 feet in length, and about 40 in breadth. The roof, which was covered with the leaves of the palm-tree, was supported by a row of pillars on each side, and another in the middle. The highest part of the thatch on the inside was about 30 feet from the ground, and the space between the sides of the building and the edge of the roof being 12 feet, was left entirely open.

The Captain, Lieutenant, and Purser, being seated, the lady helped four of her female attendants to pull off their coats, shoes, and stockings; which being aukwardly performed, the girls smoothed down the skin, and rubbed it lightly with their hands for more than half an hour; and the gentlemen received great benefit from the operation. The Surgeon, being heated with walking, having pulled off his wig, one of the Indians screamed out; the eyes of the whole company were instantly fixed on the miraculous sight, and they remained some time in the most profound astonishment. When they had recovered from their surprize, the lady ordered several bales of cloth, the produce of the island, to be brought out, in which she dressed the Captain and all his attendants. Orders had been given, that the Captain should be carried as before; but as he chose to walk, she took hold of his arm, and when they came near any wet or dirty places, she lifted him over, with as much ease as a man would a child. She attended them to the shore, when she took her leave; having presented the Captain with a fine sow, big with young.

On the following day the gunner being dispatched to this lady, with a compliment of bill-hooks, hatchets, &c. found her entertaining many hundreds of the natives, who were seated in order round her habitation. A mess was ordered for the gunner, who reported, that it was of an agreeable flavour, and seemed to be a compound of fowls and apples, shred in small pieces, and mixed with salt-water. The lady herself distributed the provisions, which were served in cocoa-nut shells, and those shells brought in trays by her servants. When the company were all fed, the lady took her seat somewhat above the rest, and was fed by two female servants, one standing on each side of her. She received the Captain’s presents with evident signs of satisfaction.

From this period the crew was much better supplied with refreshments, hogs and fowls being brought to the market daily; but they could not be purchased at the former prices, owing to the commerce before-mentioned, between the sailors and the Indian women: the Captain therefore ordered, that not one woman should be permitted to come over the river, and that no man should leave the ship till he had first been searched.

The gunner, who was on shore on the 14th, met with the following affecting incident. He saw an old woman, on the opposite side of the river, weeping in a most lamentable manner. When she found he regarded her distress, she sent a youth to him, who, having made a long oration, laid a branch of plantain at his feet, and then retired, and brought over the woman and two hogs. The youth now made a still longer speech, after the conclusion of which this unfortunate woman made the gunner understand, that when the English fired on her countrymen, her husband and three of her sons had been killed. Her agitation of mind was such, that before she had finished her tale, she sunk speechless to the ground; nor were two lads, who attended her, in a much better situation. The gunner pitied her distress, and endeavoured to comfort her. At length she became somewhat calmer, offered him her hand, and directed the hogs to be given him: in return he would have given her much more than their value, but she would not take the most trifling article.

On the 15th a large party, in all the boats, rowed round part of the island, in order to take a view of it, and purchase provisions. They returned with a number of hogs and fowls, and some plantains and cocoa-nuts. The island was found to be every where very pleasant, and to abound with various necessaries of life. Great numbers of canoes were seen, and several not quite built. The tools of the natives were formed of bones, shells, and stones. Dogs and hogs were the only four-footed beasts. The inhabitants ate all their meat either roasted or baked, having no vessel in which water could be boiled; nor, indeed, did they seem to have the least idea that water could be heated by fire; this will be proved by the following circumstance. While the lady so frequently mentioned was at breakfast on board the ship, a person that attended her, having observed the cock of an urn turned to fill the tea-pot, he also turned the cock, and the scalding water falling on his hand, he cried out, and danced about the cabin, while the other Indians gazed at him with terror and surprize.

On the 17th Captain Wallis received another visit from the lady; (whom he calls his Queen) and this day plenty of refreshments were purchased of some Indians, whom they had never dealt with before. The Queen repeated her visit on the following day, and gave the Captain two hogs: and the Master being sent to attend her home, she clothed him in the dress of the country, as she had done the Captain and his retinue. On the 19th a great number of hogs and pigs, with fowls and fruits in the greatest abundance, were purchased and sent on board by the gunner. The next day one of the sailors was sentenced to run the gauntlet three times round the deck, while the crew whipped him with nettles, for drawing nails from the ship; but the tars were so well disposed to spare a brother in iniquity, that his punishment was rather nominal than real: this gave rise to an order, that no person should go on shore but those appointed to procure wood and water.

Captain Wallis’s Queen paid him another visit on the 21st, and presented him with some hogs. On her departure she invited the Captain to her house, who, taking some officers with him, attended her home. On their arrival, she tied round their hats some wreaths of plaited hair, and distinguished the Captain’s by the additional ornament of a tuft of feathers of different colours. When they returned she went with them to the water-side, and ordered some presents into the boat. Just before they put off Mr. Wallis intimated, that he should finally depart in seven days; when she made signs that he should stay twenty: but his resolution to depart within the first-mentioned time being repeated, she wept incessantly for a considerable time.

By the 22d the ship was so well stored with hogs and fowls that the deck was covered; but, as they would eat little else than fruit, they were killed faster than was otherwise intended. A boar and sow of this breed were brought to England, and given to Mr. Stephens, secretary of the admiralty; the former of which was living when this account was printed, but the latter died in farrowing.

On the 24th the Captain presented his friend, the old Indian, with cloth and other matters; and sent a variety of things to the Queen, among which were a cat with kitten, turkies, geese, hens, and various kinds of garden seeds; which compliment she returned by a present of fruit and hogs. While they remained here they sowed peas and garden seeds, and staid long enough to see them come up, and likely to thrive.

The Captain having sent a party on shore on the 25th to examine the country minutely, caused a tent to be erected to observe an eclipse of the sun, and when it was ended, he took his telescope to the Queen’s house to shew her the use of it; and her surprize is not to be expressed, on her beholding several objects which she was very familiar with, but which were too distant to be seen by the naked eye. On the conclusion of this mental feast, the Captain invited the Queen and her attendants on board the ship, judging that no insult would be offered to the party he had sent out, while the principle people were in his power. The Queen’s attendants ate heartily of an elegant dinner, and drank water only; but the Queen would neither eat nor drink. When the party returned from their excursion, the Captain gave orders for landing the Queen and her train. She made signs to be informed, if he held his resolution as to the time of his departure; and being answered in the affirmative, her tears witnessed the agitation of her mind.

The following is an account of the transactions and observations of the party which was sent out this day.--When they first landed they called on the old Indian, and taking him with them, they walked some on each side of the river about two miles, observing that the soil was blackish and rich, and that on the borders of the valley, through which the river flowed, were many houses with gardens walled in, and plenty of fruit, hogs, and fowls. They now all walked on one side, as the ground rose nearly perpendicular on the other. Channels were cut in many places, to conduct the water from the hills to the gardens and plantations, and the ground being fenced off had a pleasing effect to the eye. There was good grass, but no underwood beneath the trees: the cocoa-nut and plantain grew on level ground; while the bread-fruit and apple-trees were set in rows on the sides of the hills.

The stream now became a perfect meander, and the crags of mountains which rose on its borders hung over the heads of our travellers. After walking four miles, they sat down to breakfast under an apple-tree, when they were alarmed by the shouts of a great number of the natives. They would have had recourse to their arms, but the old Indian making signs for them to sit still, went to his countrymen, who became at once silent, and instantly retired: but they soon returned with variety of refreshments, which the old Indian divided among our travellers; and for which the Lieutenant gave the natives some buttons, and other trifles.

They then proceeded, and looked diligently for metals and ores, in every place likely to produce them; but found nothing of any consequence. The old Indian growing weary, hinted, that he should return, having first directed his countrymen to clear a passage for the travellers over a mountain. When the old man was gone, the Indians cut branches from the trees, and laid them in a ceremonious manner at the feet of the seamen: they then painted themselves red with the berries of a tree, and stained their garments yellow with the bark of another. By the assistance of the Indians, the most difficult parts of the mountain were climbed; and they again refreshed themselves on its summit, when they saw other mountains so much above them, that they seemed as in a valley.

Towards the sea the prospect was inexpressibly beautiful, the sides of the hills being covered with trees, and the vallies with grass; while the whole country was interspersed with villages. They saw but few houses on the mountains above them, but as smoke was observed in many places, it was conjectured, that the highest parts were inhabited. Many springs gushed from the sides of the mountains, all of which were covered with wood on the sides, and with fern on the summits. The soil even on the high lands was rich, and the sugar-cane grew without cultivation; as did likewise ginger and turmerick.

Having a third time refreshed themselves, they descended towards the ship, occasionally deviating from the direct way, tempted, by the pleasant situation of several houses, the inhabitants of which entertained them in the most hospitable manner. They saw parrots, parroquets, green doves, and ducks. The Lieutenant planted the stones of cherries, peaches and plums, several kinds of garden-seeds, and oranges, lemons and limes. In the afternoon they rested on a delightful spot, where the inhabitants dressed them two hogs and several fowls. Here they staid till the evening, when they rewarded the diligence of their guides, and repaired to the ship.

On the 26th the Queen visited the Captain, with her usual presents; and on this day they discontinued taking in wood and water, and prepared for sailing. A greater number of Indians now came to the sea-shore than they had ever yet seen; and of these, several appeared to be persons of consequence. In the afternoon the Queen visited captain Wallis, and sollicited him to remain ten days longer; but being informed that he should certainly sail on the following day, she burst into tears. She now demanded when he would come again, and was told in 50 days. She remained on board till evening, when being informed that the boat waited for her, she wept with more violence than she had yet done. At length this affectionate creature went over the ship’s side, as did the old Indian who had been so serviceable to the crew. This man had signified, that his son should sail with the Captain; but when the time of departure came, the youth was not to be found; and it was thought, that parental affection had got the better of the old man’s promise.

Early the next morning two boats were sent to fill a few casks of water; but the officer, alarmed at finding the shore crouded with people, was about to return. This brought the Queen forward, who commanded the Indians to retire to the opposite side of the river, and then made signs for the boats to land. While the water was filling, she ordered some presents into the boat, and entreated to go once more to the ship; but the officer having it in charge not to bring off a single native, she ordered her double canoe out, and was followed by many others. When she had been on board, weeping bitterly, for an hour, advantage was taken of a breeze, and the ship got under sail. She now tenderly embraced the Captain and Officers, and left the ship; but the wind falling, the canoes all put back, and once more reached the ship, to which the Queen’s being made fast, she advanced to the bow of the canoe, and wept incessantly. The Captain presented her with several articles of use and ornament, which she received in silent sorrow. After some time a breeze springing up, the Queen and her attendants took their final leave, with many tears, which drew corresponding tears from the eyes of our countrymen.

The place where the ship had lain was called PORT ROYAL HARBOUR, and is situated in 17 degrees 30 minutes south-longitude, and 150 degrees west-latitude.

Captain Wallis now proceeds to give a more accurate account of the inhabitants of Otaheite, with their customs, manners, &c.--The men are from five feet seven to ten inches high, well proportioned, alert, and of good countenances. The women from five feet to five and a half, handsome in general, but some of them as beautiful as can be imagined. The complexion of those men who are much on the water is rather red; but the natural colour of them all is the tawny. They are remarkably distinguished from all the other natives of Asia, Africa, and America, by the colours of their hair; for that of the former is universally black, while the people of Otaheite have the various colours of black, brown, red and flaxen; most of the children having the latter: when left loose, it has a strong natural curl, but it is usually worn tied in two bunches, one on each side the head, or in a single bunch in the middle. They anoint the head with the oil of the cocoa-nut, mixed with a root of a fragrant smell.

It has been mentioned, that the ladies do not consider chastity as a virtue; but the price of their favours is always proportioned to their charms. When a man offered a girl to the caresses of a sailor, he shewed a stick of the size of the nail that was to purchase her company.

Their cloaths are formed of two pieces of cloth, not unlike coarse China paper, in one of which a hole is made for the head to pass thro’, and this hangs to the middle of the leg; the other piece is wrapped round the body, and the whole forms an elegant drapery. This cloth is composed of the inner bark of a tree. They adorn themselves with pearls, shells, feathers and flowers. They mark the hinder part of the thighs and loins of both sexes with black lines in different forms; which is done by striking the teeth of an instrument through the skin, and rubbing soot mixed with oil into the holes: some few men, who appeared to be persons of distinction, had their legs marked; but neither boys nor girls are marked till after they are twelve years old.

An Indian who attended the Queen appearing to be fond of imitating the English, was presented with a suit of the Lieutenant’s cloaths, which became him extremely well. As it was shoal-water at the landing-place, the English officers were carried on shore; and this man, unwilling to be out of the fashion, was carried in the same manner by the Indians. In his attempt to use a knife and fork at first, his hand always went to his mouth, while the food remained stuck on the end of the fork.

Besides the articles already mentioned, these people eat the flesh of dogs. Rats abound on the island, but are not eaten. The river produces parrot-fish, groopers, cray-fish and mullet, and conchs and muscles are found on the rocks: the inhabitants use nets, and hooks and lines.

There is something singular in their way of dressing their food: having produced a fire by rubbing two pieces of dry wood together, they dig a pit, which being paved with stones, they make a fire in it. The stones being properly heated, they rake away the ashes, and covering the stones with green leaves of the cocoa-nut-tree, they put their meat in plantain leaves, and place it in the pit, covering it over with the hot ashes, on which they lay bread-fruit and yams enclosed in plantain leaves: these again they cover with the embers intermixed with the hot stones: to this succeeds a layer of cocoa-nut leaves, and upon the whole is a covering of earth. In this manner a small hog is dressed whole, but a large one is cut in two; and Captain Wallis asserts, that this method of cookery exceeds every other he has known, the meat being extremely tender, and full of gravy. Their only sauces are salt-water and fruit, and their knives are made of shells.

They were astonished when they first saw meat boiled in a pot; but the Captain having given iron-pots to the Queen and some of her chiefs, they were often used; and the old Indian fed on boiled meat almost constantly. The only liquor they drink is water: they occasionally pluck and chew a bit of the sugar-cane; but have no idea of extracting any spirit from it.

From the scars with which many of these people were marked, it seems evident, that they sometimes waged war with each other.--That they have skill in surgery is evident from the following circumstance: a splinter having got into the foot of one of the sailors, his mess-mate tried in vain to extract it with a pen-knife: on this one of the natives, having formed an instrument, with his teeth, out of a shell, extracted the splinter in an instant; and the old Indian applying a piece of the gum of the apple-tree to the wound, the man’s foot was quite well in two days.

There are several sheds on the island, enclosed within a wall, on the outside of which several posts are fixed in the ground, on which are rude resemblances of men, women, dogs and hogs. The enclosed place is paved with large stones, between which the grass grows. These were supposed to be burial-places, from the natives being sometimes seen to enter them with an air of solemn sorrow.--It could not be discovered that these people had any kind of religious worship among them.

They have three kinds of canoes--one formed out of a single tree, in which they go a fishing; a second, made of planks sewed together, and large enough to hold 20 or 30 men; in which they sail round the island, and come laden home with fruits; and a third sort, which are not unlike the Venetian gondolas, and used when they sail on parties of pleasure. In these they make a kind of procession two or three times in a week, with their streamers flying, attended by the small canoes, while hundreds of the natives accompany their motions on the shore. On these occasions they put on their best cloaths, and while some are under a large awning, others sit upon it:--these are clothed in red and white; two men in red sit on the prow of each vessel; while the rowers and steersmen are in white.

The people of Otaheite use bows and arrows, which last are headed with a round stone. They have likewise bludgeons, and slings for the throwing of stones.

The inhabitants being shewn some small turtles, hinted that they had some which were much larger; but not one was seen by any of the ship’s crew.

Captain Wallis represents this island as one of the most pleasant in the universe; being blessed with a pure air, abounding in wood and herbage, harbouring no venomous animal; and its inhabitants being happy in a constant flow of health. The south-east part of the island, which produces fruit in vast abundance, is better peopled than the spot near where the ship lay.

When captain Cook, in the Endeavour, visited this island, he found the venereal disease among the natives; which must have been contracted from some of the crew under the command of M. Bougainville; for not one of captain Wallis’s men were infected with that disorder for several months before and after his arrival at Otaheite.

The Dolphin sailed from this harbour on the 27th of July 1767, and passed the Duke of York’s Island, the coast of which abounds with plantain-trees, cocoa-nut, bread-fruit, and apple-trees. On the 28th they discovered land, which was called SIR CHARLES SAUNDER’S ISLAND. It had a few inhabitants, who lived in small huts; and the cocoa-nut and other trees grew on the shore. On the 30th they again made land, which received the name of LORD HOWE’S ISLAND, on which smoke was seen, but no inhabitants. Their next discovery was of some dangerous shoals, to which captain Wallis gave the name of the SCILLY ISLANDS.

They now steered westward till the 13th of August, when they saw two small islands, one of which was named KEPPEL’S ISLE, and the other BOSCAWEN’S ISLAND; on the latter of which were several inhabitants; but they steered for the former, as its appearance promised the most convenient anchorage. By the help of glasses they now discovered the natives on the shore; but they did not attempt to anchor that night, on account of some breakers at a considerable distance from the island.

The boats being dispatched to the island, brought on board some cocoa-nuts and other fruit, and a couple of fowls. The officer reported, that the inhabitants were not unlike those of Otaheite; that some few of them ventured into the boat, but soon jumped out and swam back to the island. These people were remarkable for having the first joint of their little fingers cut off; and they were dressed in a sort of matting.

As there was no convenient watering-place at this island, and as the ship had received some damages that had rendered her unfit to encounter a rough sea, the Captain determined to sail for Tinian, from thence to Batavia, and so to England by the Cape of Good Hope. He therefore passed the island, which is well inhabited, abounds in timber, and is of a circular form.

On the 16th they again discovered land, to which the officers gave the name of WALLIS’S ISLAND. The coast of this island is very rocky, and the trees grow almost to the edge of the water. The inhabitants wore no covering but a mat round the waist: each man had a very large club, two of which were purchased by the boat’s crew. These people attempting to steal the cutter, by hauling her upon the rocks, a gun was fired close to one of their faces, the report of which so terrified them, that they decamped with the utmost speed. When the boats were returning to the ship, they were impeded by the points of rocks, which being observed by the Indians, they followed in their canoes till they got into deep water, and then they rowed back.

Captain Wallis remarks, as an extraordinary circumstance, that although no sort of metal was seen on any of the lately discovered islands, yet the natives were no sooner possessed of a piece of iron than they began to sharpen it, but did not treat copper or brass in the same manner.

They now sailed to the north-west, and on the 28th observed a number of birds flying about the ship, one of which they catched. It was web-footed, but in all other respects resembled a dove. On the 3d of September they saw land, which was thought to be two of the Piscadore Islands; and on this day an Indian Proa (a description of which is given in Anson’s Voyage) made towards the ship, on which they hoisted Spanish Colours; but she came no nearer than within about two miles. On the 7th and 9th they saw several birds, one of which was taken, and judged to be a land-bird. On the 18th they discovered the island of Saypan, and soon afterwards that of Tinian, off which they anchored on the day following.