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
Next morning, I made the natives another visit, accompanied by Mr.
Forster and Mr. Hodges, carrying with me various articles which I
presented them with, and which they received with a great deal of
indifference, except hatchets and spike-nails; these they most esteemed.
This interview was at the same place as last night; and now we saw the
whole family. It consisted of the man, his two wives (as we supposed),
the young woman before mentioned, a boy about fourteen years old, and
three small children, the youngest of which was at the breast. They were
all well-looking, except one woman, who had a large wen on her upper
lip, which made her look disagreeable; and she seemed, on that account,
to be in a great measure neglected by the man. They conducted us to
their habitation, which was but a little way within the skirts of the
wood, and consisted of two mean huts made of the bark of trees. Their
canoe, which was a small double one, just large enough to transport the
whole family from place to place, lay in a small creek near the huts.
During our stay, Mr. Hodges made drawings of most of them; this
occasioned them to give him the name of _Toe-toe_, which word, we
supposed, signifies marking or painting. When we took leave, the chief
presented me with a piece of cloth or garment of their own
manufacturing, and some other trifles. I at first thought it was meant
as a return for the presents I had made him; but he soon undeceived me,
by expressing a desire for one of our boat cloaks. I took the hint, and
ordered one to be made for him of red baize, as soon as I got aboard;
where rainy weather detained me the following day.
The 9th, being fair weather, we paid the natives another visit, and made
known our approach by hallooing to them; but they neither answered us,
nor met us at the shore as usual. The reason of this we soon saw; for we
found them at their habitations, all dressed and dressing, in their very
best, with their hair combed and oiled, tied up upon the crowns of their
heads, and stuck with white feathers. Some wore a fillet of feathers
round their heads; and all of them had bunches of white feathers stuck
in their ears: thus dressed, and all standing, they received us with
great courtesy. I presented the chief with the cloak I had got made for
him, with which he seemed so well pleased, that he took his pattapattou
from his girdle, and gave it me. After a short stay, we took leave; and
having spent the remainder of the day in continuing my survey of the
bay, with the night returned on board.
Very heavy rains falling on the two following days, no work was done;
but the 12th proved clear and serene, and afforded us an opportunity to
dry our sails and linen, two things very much wanted, not having had
fair weather enough for this purpose since we put into this bay. Mr.
Forster and his party also profited by the day in botanizing.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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