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
As we returned in the evening, we had a short interview with three of
the natives, one man and two women. They were the first that discovered
themselves on the N. E. point of Indian Island, named so on this
occasion. We should have passed without seeing them, had not the man
hallooed to us. He stood with his club in his hand upon the point of a
rock, and behind him, at the skirts of the wood, stood the two women,
with each of them a spear. The man could not help discovering great
signs of fear when we approached the rock with our boat. He, however,
stood firm; nor did he move to take up some things we threw him ashore.
At length I landed, went up, and embraced him; and presented him with
such articles as I had about me, which at once dissipated his fears.
Presently after, we were joined by the two women, the gentlemen that
were with me, and some of the seamen. After this, we spent about half an
hour in chit-chat, little understood on either side, in which the
youngest of the two women bore by far the greatest share. This
occasioned one of the seamen to say, that women did not want tongue in
any part of the world. We presented them with fish and fowl which we had
in our boat; but these they threw into the boat again, giving us to
understand that such things they wanted not. Night approaching, obliged
us to take leave of them; when the youngest of the two women, whose
volubility of tongue exceeded every thing I ever met with, gave us a
dance; but the man viewed us with great attention. Some hours after we
got on board, the other party returned, having had but indifferent
sport.
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