124 COOK S FIRST VOYAGE IMAY, 



first time, forced to bring out our nails : one of our 

 smallest size, which was about four inches long, pro- 

 cured us twenty cocoa-nuts, and bread-fruit in pro- 

 portion, so that in a short time our first plenty w^as 

 restored. 



On the 9th, soon after breakfast, we received a 

 visit from Oberea, being the first that she had made 

 us after the loss of our quadrant, and the unfortunate 

 confinement of Tootahah ; with her came her present 

 favourite, Obadee, and Tupia : they brought us a 

 hog and some bread-fruit, in return for which we gave 

 her a hatchet. We had now afforded our Indian 

 ii lends a new and interesting object of curiosity, our 

 forge, which having been set up some time, was al- 

 most constantly at work. It was now common for 

 them to bring pieces of iron, w^hich we suppose they 

 must have got from the Dolphin, to be made into 

 tools of various kinds ; and as I was very desirous to 

 gratify them, they were indulged except when the 

 smith's time was too precious to be spared. Oberea 

 having received her hatchet, produced as much old 

 iron as would have made another, with a request that 

 another might be made of it ; in this, however, I 

 could not gratify her, upon which she brought out a 

 broken axe, and desired it might be mended : I was 

 glad of an opportunity to compromise the difference 

 between us : her axe was mended, and she appeared 

 to be content. They went away at night, and took 

 with them the canoe, which had been a considerable 

 time at the point, but promised to return in three 

 days. 



On the 10th, I put some seeds of melons and other 

 plants into a spot of ground which had been turned 

 up for the purpose ; they had ail been sealed up by 

 the person of whom they were bought, in small bot- 

 tles with rosin ; but none of them came up except 

 mustard ; even the cucumbers and melons failed, and 

 Mr. Banks is of opinion that they were spoiled by the 

 total exclusion of fresh air. 



