THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 79 



the beach, the waterers did not meet with the leaft oppofi- >779« 



rr February. 



tion from the natives ; who, notwithftanding our cautious ' w- — ». 



behaviour, came amongft us again, without the fmalleft 

 appearance of diffidence or apprehenfion. 



Early in the morning of the 20th, we had the fatisfaction Saturday 20. 

 of getting the fore-mad ltepped. It was an operation at- 

 tended with great difficulty, and fome danger; our ropes 

 being fo exceedingly rotten, that the purchafe gave way fe- 

 veral times. 



Between ten and eleven o'clock, we faw a great number 

 of people defcending the hill, which is over the beach, in 

 a kind of proceffion, each man carrying a fugar-cane or 

 two on his fhoulders, and bread-fruit, tare, and plantains in 

 his hand. They were preceded by two drummers; who, 

 when they came to the water-fide, fat down by a white flag, 

 and began to beat their drums, while thofe who had fol- 

 lowed them, advanced, one by one; and, having depofited 

 the prefents they had brought, retired in the fame order. 

 Soon after, Eappo came in fight, in his long feathered cloak, 

 bearing fomething with great folemnity in his hands; and 

 having placed himfelf on a rock, he made figns for a boat 

 to be fent him. 



Captain Gierke, conjecturing that he had brought the 

 bones of Captain Cook which proved to be the fact, 

 went himfelf in the pinnace to receive them ; and or- 

 dered me to attend him in the cutter. When we arrived 

 at the beach, Eappo came into the pinnace, and delivered 

 to the Captain the bones wrapped up in a large quan- 

 tity of fine new cloth, and covered with a fpotted cloak 

 of black and white feathers. He afterward attended us to 

 the Refolution j but could not be prevailed upon to go on 



board j 



