114 COOK S FIRST VOYAGE MAY, 



without any news oF the quadrant. Mr. Banks, 

 therefore, who upon such occasions declined neither 

 labour nor risk, and who had more influence over 

 the Indians than any of us, determined to go in 

 search of it into the woods ; he hoped, that if it had 

 been stolen by the natives, he should find it wher- 

 ever they had opened the box, as they would imme- 

 diately discover that to them it would be wholly use- 

 less : or, if in this expectation he should be disap- 

 pointed, that he might recover it by the ascendancy 

 he had acquired over the chiefs. He set out, accom- 

 panied by a midshipman and Mr. Green, and as he 

 was crossing the river he was met by Tubourai Ta- 

 maide, who immediately made the figure of a triangle 

 with three bits of straw upon his hand. By this Mr. 

 Banks knew that the Indians were the thieves , and 

 that, although they had opened the case, they were 

 not disposed to part with the contents. No time 

 was therefore to be lost, and Mr. Banks made Tu- 

 bourai Tamaide understand, that he must instantly 

 go with him to the place whither the quadrant had 

 been carried ; he consented, and they set out to- 

 gether to the eastward, the chief enquiring at every 

 house which they passed after the thief by name : 

 the people readily told him which way he was gone, 

 and how long it was since he had been there : the 

 hope which this gave them that they should over- 

 take him, supported them under their fatigue, and 

 they pressed forward, sometimes walking, sometimes 

 running, though the weather was intolerably hot ; 

 when they had climbed a hill at the distance of about 

 four miles, their conductor showed them a point full 

 three miles farther, and gave them to understand 

 that they were not to expect the instrument till they 

 had got thither. Here they paused ; they had no 

 arms, except a pair of pistols, which Mr. Banks al- 

 ways carried in his pocket ; they were going to a 

 place that was at least seven miles distant from the 

 fort, where the Indians might be less submissive than 



