"262 COOK'S VOYAGE TO APRIL, 



During the time I was at this village, Mr. Webber, 

 who had attended me thither, made drawings of 

 every thing that was curious, both within and with- 

 out doors. I had also an opportunity of inspecting 

 more narrowly the construction of the houses, house- 

 hold furniture and utensils, and the striking pecu- 

 liarities of the customs and modes of living of the 

 inhabitants. These shall be described in another 

 place in the best manner I can, calling in to my as- 

 sistance the observations of Mr. Anderson. When 

 we had completed all our operations at this village, 

 the natives and we parted very good friends, and we 

 got back to the ships in the afternoon. 



The three following days were employed in getting 

 ready to put to sea, the sails were bent, the observa- 

 tories and instruments, brewing vessels, and other 

 things were moved from the shore ; some small spars 

 for different uses, and pieces of timber which might be 

 occasionally sawn into boards, were prepared and put 

 on board, and both ships were cleared and put into 

 a sailing condition. 



Every thing being now ready in the morning 

 of the 26th, I intended to have put to sea, but 

 both wind and tide being against us, was obliged 

 to wait till noon, when the S. W. wind was suc- 

 ceeded by a calm ; and the tide turning in our 

 favour, we cast off the moorings, and with our boats 

 towed the ships out of the cove. After this, we had 

 variable light airs and calms till four in the after- 

 noon, when a breeze sprung up northerly with very 

 thick, hazy weather. The mercury in the barometer 

 fell unusually low ; and we had every other fore-runner 

 of an approaching storm, which we had reason to ex- 

 pect would be from the southward ; this made me hesi- 

 tate a little, as night was at hand, whether I should 

 venture to sail or wait till the next morning. But my 

 anxious impatience to proceed upon the voyage, and 

 the fear of losing this opportunity of getting out of 

 the sound, making a greater impression on my mind 



