.36 cook's voyage to feb. 



oboo, who, on his supposed arrival, the next 

 morning, came immediately to visit Captain Cook, 

 and the consequent return of the natives to their 

 former friendly intercourse with us, are strong proofs 

 that they neither meant nor apprehended any change 

 of conduct. 



In support of this opinion, I may add the account 

 of another accident, precisely of the same kind, 

 which happened to us on our first visit, the day be- 

 fore the arrival of the king. A native had sold a hog- 

 on board the Resolution, and taken the price agreed 

 on, when Tareea passing by, advised the man not 

 to part with the hog without an advanced price. 

 For this he was sharply spoken to, and pushed 

 away ; and the taboo being soon after laid on the bay, 

 we had at first no doubt, but that it was in conse- 

 quence of the offence given to the chief. Both 

 these accidents serve to show how very difficult it is 

 to draw any certain conclusion from the actions of 

 people, with whose customs, as well as language, we 

 are so imperfectly acquainted ; at the same time, some 

 idea may be formed from them of the difficulties, at 

 the first view, perhaps, not very apparent, which 

 those have to encounter, who, in all their transactions 

 with these strangers, have to steer their course amidst 

 so much uncertainty, where a trifling error may be 

 attended with even the most fatal consequences. 

 However true or false our conjectures may be, things 

 went on in their usual quiet course, till the afternoon 

 of the 13th. 



Toward the evening of that day, the officer who 

 commanded the watering-party of the Discovery 

 came to inform me, that several chiefs had assembled 

 at the well near the beach, driving away the natives 

 whom he had hired to assist the sailors in rolling down 

 the casks to the shore. He told me, at the same 

 time, that he thought their behaviour extremely sus- 

 picious, and that they meant to give him some farther 

 disturbance. At his request, therefore, I sent a ma- 



