lOS cook's first voyage APRIL 



by the perfection of our nature, the increase of our 

 knowledge, and the enlargement of our views. 



Canoes were continually coming in during all this 

 forenoon, and the tents at the fort were crowded 

 with people of both sexes from different parts of the 

 island. I was myself busy on board the ship, but 

 Mr. Mollineux, our master, who was one of those 

 that made the last voyage in the Dolphin, went on 

 shore. As soon as he entered Mr. Banks's tent he 

 iixed his eyes upon one of the women, who Avas sitting 

 there with great composure among the rest, and im- 

 mediately declared her to be the person who at that | 

 time was supposed to be the queen of the island ; |] 

 she also, at the same time, acknowledging him to be i| 

 one of the strangers whom she had seen before. The % 

 attention of all present was now diverted from every j^ 

 other object, and w^holly engaged in considering a % 

 person who had made so distinguished a figure in ^ 

 the accounts that had been given of this island by its ; 

 first discoverers ; and we soon learnt that her name | 

 was Oberea. She seemed to be about forty years | 

 of age, and was not only tall, but of a large make ; I 

 her skin was white, and there was an uncommon in- \ 

 telligence and sensibility in her eyes : she appeared ; 

 to have been handsome when she was young, but at ; 

 this time little more than memorials of her beautv \ 

 were left. ! 



As soon as her quality was knowm, an offer was ■ 

 made to conduct her to the ship. Of this she readi- ! 

 ly accepted, and came on board with two men and \ 

 several women, who seemed to be all of her family : ■ 

 I received her with such marks of distinction as 1 

 thought would gratify her most, and was not sparing . 

 of my presents, among which this august personage 

 seemed particularly delighted with a child's doll. | 

 After some time spent on board, I attended her back \ 

 to the shore ; and as soon as we landed, she present- j 

 ed me with a hog, and several bunches of plantains, i 

 which she caused to be carried from her canoes up 1 



