3S cook's first voyage march, 



of our power, after having provoked us to the use of 

 our fire-arms, though loaded only with small shot ; 

 and of our clemency, by our forbearing to make use 

 of weapons so dreadful except in our defence, they 

 became at once friendly, and even affectionate, plac- 

 ing in us the most unbounded confidence, and doing 

 every thing which could incite us to put equal confi- 

 dence in them. It is also remarkable, that when an 

 intercourse was once established between us, they 

 were very rarely detected in any act of dishonesty. 

 Before, indeed, and while they considered us as ene- 

 mies, who came upon their coast only to make an 

 advantage of them, they did not scruple by any 

 means to make any advantage of us ; and would, 

 therefore, when they had received the price of any 

 thing they had offered to sell, pack up both the pur- 

 chase and the purchase money with all possible 

 composure, as so much lawful plunder from people 

 who had no view but to plunder them. 



I have observed that our friends in the South Seas 

 had not even the idea of indecency, with respect to 

 any object or any action ; but this was by no means 

 the case with the inhabitants of New Zealand, in 

 whose carriage and conversation there was as much 

 modesty, reserve, and decorum with respect to 

 actions, which yet in their opinion were not criminal, 

 as are to be found among the politest people in Eu- 

 rope. The women were not impregnable ; but the 

 terms and manner of compliance were as decent as 

 those in marriage among us, and according to their 

 notions the agreement was as innocent. When any 

 of our people made an overture to one of their young 

 women, he was given to understand that the consent 

 of her friends was necessary, and by the influence of 

 a proper present it was generally obtained ; but 

 when these preliminaries were settled, it was also ne- 

 cessary to treat the wife for a night with the same 

 delicacy that is here required by the wife for life, 

 and the lover who presumed to take any liberties by 



