1770. ROUND THE WORLD. 8^5 



in a very safe and convenient cove, on the north-west- 

 side of the bay, and facing the r.outh-west end of 

 the island, in eleven fathom water, with soft ground, 

 and moored with the stream anchor. 



We were about four long cannon shot distant from 

 the village or Heppah, from which four canoes were 

 immediately dispatched, as w^e imagined, to recon- 

 noitre, and, if they should find themselves able, to 

 take us. The men were all well armed, and dressed 

 nearly as they are represented in the figure published 

 by Tasman ; two corners of the cloth which they 

 wrapped round the body were passed over the shoul- 

 ders from behind, and being brought down to the 

 upper edge of it before, were made fast to it just 

 under the breast ; but few, or none, had feathers in 

 their hair. 



They rowed round the ship several times, with 

 their usual tokens of menace and defiance, and at 

 last began the assault by throwing some stones: Tupia 

 expostulated with them, but apparently to very little 

 purpose ; and we began to fear that they would 

 oblige us to fire at them, when a very old man in one 

 of the boats expressed a desire of coming on board. 

 We gladly encouraged him in his design, a rope was 

 thrown into his canoe, and she was immediately along 

 side of the ship : the old man rose up, and prepared 

 to come up the ship's side, upon which all the rest 

 expostulated with great vehemence against thie at- 

 tempt, and at last laid hold of him, and held him 

 back : he adhered however to his purpose with a calm 

 but steady perseverance, and having at length disen- 

 gaged himself, he came on board. We received him 

 with all possible expressions of friendship and kind- 

 ness, and after some time dismissed him, with many 

 presents, to his companions. As soon as he was re- 

 turned on board his canoe, the people in all the rest 

 began to dance, but whether as a token of enmity or 

 friendship we could not certainly determine, for we 

 had seen them dance in a disposition both for peace 



B B 4 



