The Three Voyages of Captain Cook Round the World, Vol. III. Being the First of the Second VoyageCook, James
History
The Three Voyages of Captain Cook Round the World, Vol. III. Being the First of the Second Voyage
Cook, James
Cook, James, 1728-1779 -- Travel; Explorers -- Great Britain -- Biography; Voyages around the world -- History -- 18th century
Some of the officers, on the 28th, went up the bay in a small boat on a
shooting party; but discovering inhabitants, they returned before noon,
to acquaint me therewith; for hitherto we had not seen the least vestige
of any. They had but just got aboard, when a canoe appeared off a point
about a mile from us, and soon after, returned behind the point out of
sight, probably owing to a shower of rain which then fell: for it was no
sooner over, than the canoe again appeared, and came within musket-shot
of the ship. There were in it seven or eight people. They remained
looking at us for some time, and then returned; all the signs of
friendship we could make, did not prevail on them to come nearer. After
dinner I took two boats and went in search of them, in the cove where
they were first seen, accompanied by several of the officers and
gentlemen. We found the canoe (at least a canoe) hauled upon the shore
near to two small huts, where were several fire-places, some fishing
nets, a few fish lying on the shore, and some in the canoe. But we saw
no people; they, probably, had retired into the woods. After a short
stay, and leaving in the canoe some medals, looking-glasses, beads, &c.,
we embarked and rowed to the head of the cove, where we found nothing
remarkable. In returning back we put ashore at the same place as before;
but still saw no people. However, they could not be far off, as we
smelled the smoke of fire, though we did not see it. But I did not care
to search farther, or to force an interview which they seemed to avoid;
well knowing that the way to obtain this, was to leave the time and
place to themselves. It did not appear that any thing I had left had
been touched; however, I now added a hatchet, and with the night
returned on board.
On the 29th, were showers till the afternoon; when a party of the
officers made an excursion up the bay; and Mr. Forster and his party
were out botanizing. Both parties returned in the evening without
meeting with any thing worthy of notice; and the two following days,
every one was confined to the ship on account of rainy stormy weather.
In the afternoon of the 1st of April, accompanied by several of the
gentlemen, I went to see if any of the articles I had left for the
Indians were taken away. We found every thing remaining in the canoe;
nor did it appear that any body had been there since. After shooting
some birds, one of which was a duck, with a blue-grey plumage and soft
bill, we, in the evening, returned on board.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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