486 cook's voyage to nov. 



ply of provisions at these islands ; and experience 

 having taught me that I could have no chance to 

 succeed in this, if a free trade with the natives were 

 to be allowed ; that is, if it were left to every man's 

 discretion to trade for what he pleased, and in the 

 manner he pleased ; for this substantial reason, I now 

 published an order, prohibiting all persons from trad- 

 ing, except such as should be appointed by me and 

 Captain Gierke ; and even these were enjoined to 

 trade only for provisions and refreshments. Women 

 were also forbidden to be admitted into the ships, 

 except under certain restrictions. But the evil I 

 meant to prevent, by this regulation, I soon found, 

 had already got amongst them. 



At noon, the coast extended from S. 81 E. to 

 N. 56 W. ; a low flat, like an isthmus, bore S. 42 

 W. ; the nearest shore three or four miles distant ; 

 the latitude was 20 59' ; and the longitude 203 50'. 

 Seeing some canoes coming off to us, I brought to. 



As soon as they got alongside, many of the people 

 who conducted them, came into the ship, without the 

 least hesitation. We found them to be of the same 

 nation with the inhabitants of the islands more to lee* 

 ward, which we had already visited ; and, if we did 

 not mistake them, they knew of our having been 

 there. Indeed, it rather appeared too evident ; for 

 these people had got amongst them the venereal dis- 

 temper ; and, as yet, I knew of no other way of its 

 reaching them, but by an intercourse with their neigh- 

 bours since our leaving them. 



We got from our visitors a quantity of cuttle-fish, 

 for nails and pieces of iron. They brought very little 

 fruit and roots ; but told us that they had plenty of 

 them on their island, as also hogs and fowls. In the 

 evening, the horizon being clear to the westward, we 

 judged the westernmost land in sight to be an island, 

 separated from that off which we now were. Having 

 no doubt that the people would return to the ships 

 next day, with the produce of their country, I kept 



