88 cook's first voyage april, 



a greater solemnity to the rite, the marines were 

 drawn up, and marching in order, each dropped 

 his bough upon those of the Indians, and we fol- 

 lowed their example. We then proceeded, and when 

 we came to the watering-place it was intimated to us 

 by signs, that we might occupy that ground, but it 

 happened not to be fit for our purpose. During our 

 walk, they had shaken off their first timid sense of 

 our superiority, and were become familiar : they went 

 with us from the watering-place and took a circuit 

 through the woods ; as we went along, we distributed 

 beads and other small presents among them, and had 

 the satisfaction to see that they were much gratified. 

 Our circuit was not less than four or five miles, 

 through groves of trees, which were loaded with 

 cocoa-nuts and bread-fruit, and afforded the most 

 gi'ateful shade. Under these trees were the habit- 

 ations of the people, most of them being only a roof 

 without walls, and the whole scene realised the 

 poetical fables of Arcadia. We remarked, however, 

 not without some regret, that in all our walk we had 

 seen only two hogs, and not a single fowl. Those 

 of our company who had been here with the Dolphin 

 told us, that none of the people whom we had yet 

 seen were of the first class : they suspected that the 

 chiefs had removed ; and upon carrying us to the 

 place where what they called the Queen's palace had 

 stood, we found that no traces of it were left. We 

 determined therefore to return in the morning, and 

 endeavour to find out the noblesse in their retreats. 



In the morning, however, before we could leave 

 the ship, several canoes came about us, most of them 

 from the westward, and two of them were filled 

 with people, who, by their dress and deportment, 

 appeared to be of a superior rank : two of these 

 came on board, and each singled out his friend ; one 

 of them, whose name we found to be Matahah, 

 fixed upon Mr. Banks, and the other upon me : this 

 ceremony consisted in taking off great part of their 



