1777- THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 97 



four feet by eighteen ; and ten feet high. It was 

 composed of boards, the spoils of our military oper- 

 ations at Eimeo ; and, in building it, as few nails as 

 possible, were used, that there might be no induce- 

 ment, from the love of iron, to pull it down. It was 

 settled, that immediately after our departure, he 

 should begin to build a large house after the fashion 

 of his country ; one end of which was to be brought 

 over that which we had erected, so as to enclose it 

 intirely for greater security. In this work, some of 

 the chiefs promised to assist him ; and, if the intend- 

 ed building should cover the ground which he marked 

 out, it will be as large as most upon the island. 



His European weapons consisted of a musket, bay- 

 onet, and cartouch-box ; a fowling-piece ; two pair 

 of pistols ; and two or three swords or cutlasses. The 

 possession of these made him quite happy ; which 

 was my only view in giving him such presents. For 

 I was always of opinion, that he would have been 

 happier without fire-arms, and other European wea- 

 pons, than with them ; as such implements of war, 

 in the hands of one, whose prudent use of them 

 I had some grounds for mistrusting, would rather 

 encrease his dangers than establish his superiority. 

 After he had got on shore every thing that belonged 

 to him, and was settled in his house, he had most of 

 the officers of both ships, two or three times, to din- 

 ner ; and his table was always well supplied with the 

 very best provisions that the island produced. 



Before I sailed, I had the following inscription cut 

 upon the outside of his house : 



Georgius Tertius, Rex, 2 Novembris, 1777* 

 ^j- > Resolution, Jac. Cook, Pr. 

 aves ^ Discovery, Car. Gierke, Pr. 



On the second of November, at four in the after- 

 noon, I took the advantage of a breeze, which then 

 sprung up at east, and sailed out of the harbour. 



VOL. VI. H 



