3<> 



A VOYAGE TO 



•77 take up feveral clays, Mr. Bayly and myfelf, got the aftro- 

 ■ L r " ''' > nomical apparatus on more, and pitched our tents on the 

 Moral j having with us a guard of a corporal and fix ma- 

 rines. We renewed our friendly correfpondence with the 

 priefts, who, for the greater fecurity of the workmen, and 

 their tools, tabooed the place where the mail lay, (licking; 

 their wands round it, as before. The failmakers were alfo- 

 fent on more, to repair the damages which had taken place 

 in their department, during the late gales. They were 

 lodged in a houfe adjoining to the Moral, that was lent us 

 by the priefts. Such were our arrangements on fhore. I 

 mail now proceed to the account of thofe other tranfactions 

 with the natives, which led, by degrees, to the fatal cata- 

 flrophe of the 14th. 



Upon coming to anchor, we were furprized to find our 

 reception very different from what it had been on our firfl 

 arrival ; no fhouts, no buftle, no confufion ; but a folitary 

 bay, with only here and there a canoe ftealing clofe along 

 the ihore. The impulfc of curiofity, which had before ope- 

 rated to fo great a degree, might now indeed be fuppofed to 

 have ecafed ; but the hofpitable treatment we had invari- 

 ably met with, and the friendly footing on which we parted, 

 gave us fomc reafon to expect, that they would again have 

 flocked about us with great joy, on our return. 



We were forming various conjectures, upon the occafion 

 of this extraordinary appearance, when our anxiety was at 

 length relieved by the return of a boat, which had been 

 fent on fiiorc, and brought us word, that Terrceoboo was ab- 

 fent, and had left the bay under the taboo. Though this ac- 

 count appeared very fatisfactory to mod of us ; yet others 

 were of opinion, or rather, perhaps, have been led, by fub- 



fcquent: 



7 



