204 cook's second voyage OCT. 



CHAP. II. 



THE ARRIVAL OF THE SHIPS AT AMSTERDAM ; A DESCRIP- 

 TION OF A PLACE OF WORSHIP; AND AN ACCOUNT OF 

 THE INCIDENTS WHICH HAPPENED WHILE THEY REMAINED 

 AT THAT ISLAND. 



J\s soon as I was on board, we made sail down to 

 Amsterdam. The people of this isle were so little 

 afraid of us, that some met us in three canoes about 

 midway between the two isles. They used their 

 utmost efforts to get on board, but without effect, as 

 we did not shorten sail for them, and the rope which 

 we gave them broke. They then attempted to board 

 the Adventure, and met with the same disappoint- 

 ment. We ran along the S. W. coast of Amsterdam 

 at half a mile from shore, on which the sea broke 

 in a great surf. We had an opportunity, by the help 

 of our glasses, to view the face of the island, eveiy 

 part of which seemed to be laid out in plantations. 

 We observed the natives running along the shore, 

 displaying small white flags, which we took for en- 

 signs of peace, and answered them by hoisting a St. 

 George's ensign. Three men belonging to Middle- 

 burg, who, by some means or other, had been left on 

 board the Adventure, now left her, and swam to the 

 shore ; not knowing that we intended to stop at this 

 isle, and having no inclination, as may be supposed, 

 to go away with us. 



As soon as we opened the west side of the isle, we 

 were met by several canoes, each conducted by three 

 or four men. They came boldly alongside, presented 

 us with some Eava root, and then came on board, 

 without farther ceremony, inviting us, by all the 

 friendly signs they could make, to go to their island, 

 and pointing to the place where we should anchor j 



