1709. ROUND THB WORLD. OTf^ 



four with long pikes in their hands. As I was de- 

 sirous to establish an intercourse with them, I ordered 

 three boats to be manned with seamen and marines, 

 and proceeded towards the shore, accompanied oy 

 Mr. Banks, Dr. Solander, the other gentlemen, and 

 Tupia ; about fifty of them seemed to wait for our 

 our landing, on the opposite side of the river, which 

 we thought a sign of fear, and seated themselves 

 upon the ground : at first, therefore, myself, with only 

 Mr. Banks, Dr. Solander, and Tupia, landed from 

 the little boat, and advanced towards them ; but we 

 had not proceeded many paces before they all started 

 up, and every man produced either a long pike, or a 

 small weapon of green Talc, extremely well polished, 

 about a foot long, and thick enough to weigh four or 

 five pounds : Tupia called to them in the language 

 of Otaheite ; but they answered only by flourishing 

 their weapons, and making signs to us to depart ; a 

 musket was then fired wide of them, and the ball 

 struck the water, the river being still between us ; 

 they saw the effect, and desisted from their threats : 

 but we thought it prudent to retreat till the marines 

 could be landed. This was soon done ; and they 

 marched, with a jack carried before them, to a little 

 bank, about fifty yards from the water-side ; here 

 they were drawn up, and I again advanced, with Mr. 

 Banks and Dr. Solander ; Tupia, Mr. Green, and 

 Mr. Monkhouse, being with us. Tupia was again 

 directed to speak to them, and it was with great 

 pleasure that we perceived he was perfectly under- 

 stood, he and the natives speaking only different 

 dialects of the same language. He told them that 

 we wanted provision and water, and would give them 

 iron in exchange, the properties of which he ex- 

 plained as well as he was able. They were willing 

 to trade, and desired that we would come over to 

 them for that purpose : to this we consented, pro- 

 vided they would lay by their arms ; which, however, 

 they could by no means be persuaded to do. During 



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