THE PACIFTC OCEAN. 57 



iequent events, to imagine, that there was fomething, at '779- 



... r r ■ . -ii,. „ February- 



this time, very iufpicious in the behaviour of the. natives; > ^ j 



and that the interdiction of all intercourfe with us, op pre- 

 tence of the king's abfence, was only to give him time to 

 confult with his Chirfs, in what manner it might be proper 

 to treat us. Whether theie fufpicions were well founded, 

 or the account given by the natives was the truth, we were 

 never able to afcertain. For though it is not improbable, 

 that our fudden return, for which they could fee no appa- 

 rent caufe, and the necefiity of which we afterward found 

 it very difficult to make them comprehend, might occafion' 

 fome alarm ; yet the unfufpicious conduct of Terreeoboo, 

 who, on his fuppofed arrival, the next morning, came im- 

 mediately to vifit Captain Cook, and the confequent return 

 of the natives to their former friendly intercourfe with us, 

 are ftrong proofs, that they neither meant, nor appre- 

 hended, any change of conduct. 



In fupport of this opinion, I may add the account of ano- 

 ther accident, precifely of the fame kind, which happened : 

 to us, on our firft vifir, the day before the arrival of the 

 king. A native had fold a hog on board the Ucfolution, 

 and taken the price agreed on, when Pareea, palling by, 

 advifed the man not to part with the hog, without an ad- 

 vanced price. For this, he. was fharply fpoken to, and 

 pufhed away ; and the taboo being foon after laid on the 

 bay, we had at firft no doubt, but that it was in confequence 

 of the offence given to the Chief. Both thefe accidents 

 ferve to fhew, how very difficult it is to draw any certain 

 conclufion from the actions of people, with whofe culloms, 

 as well as language, we are fo imperfectly acquainted ; ae 

 the fame time, fome idea may be formed from them, of 

 the difficulties, at the firit view, perhaps, not very apparent, 



which. 



