58 cook's second voyage august, 



mire. Whichever way the wind was, we were 

 plagued with the ashes ; unless it blew very strong 

 indeed from the opposite direction. Notwithstanding 

 the natives seemed well enough satisfied with the few 

 expeditions we had made in the neighbourhood ; 

 they were unwilling we should extend them farther. 

 As a proof of this, some undertook to guide the gen- 

 tlemen when they were in the country, to a place 

 where they might see the mouth of the volcano. 

 They very readily embraced the offer ; and were con- 

 ducted down to the harbour, before they perceived 

 the cheat. 



The 13th, wind at N. E., gloomy weather. The 

 only thing worthy of note this day was, that Pao- 

 wang being at dinner with us on board, I took the 

 opportunity to show him several parts of the ship, 

 and various articles, in hopes of finding out some- 

 thing which they might value, and be induced to 

 take from us in exchange for refreshments ; for what 

 we got of this kind was trifling. But he looked on 

 every thing that was shown him with the utmost in- 

 difference 5 nor did he take notice of any one thing 

 except a wooden sand-box, which he seemed to 

 admire, and turned two or three times over in his 

 hand. 



Next morning, after breakfast, a party of us set 

 out for the country, to try if we could not get a 

 nearer and better view of the volcano. We went by 

 the way of one of those hot smoking places before 

 mentioned, and dug a hole in the hottest part, into 

 which a thermometer of Fahrenheit's construction 

 was put ; and the mercury presently rose to 100°. It 

 remained in the hole two minutes and a half without 

 either rising or falling. The earth about this place 

 was a kind of white clay, had a sulphureous smell, and 

 was soft and wet, the surface only excepted, over 

 which was spread a thin dry crust, that had upon it 

 some sulphur, and a vitriolic substance, tasting like 

 alum. The place affected by the heat was not above 



