58 CAPTAIN COOK'S VOYAGES 



his canoe. His companions left him to his fate, without 

 taking the least notice of him, though he was wounded ; 

 and continued to trade without any discomposure. They 

 for some time traded very fairly, but returning to their 

 mal-practices, another canoe was fired upon and struck : 

 they soon after paddled away, whilst a round shot was 

 fired over them. 



Several of the Indians came off to the ship on the 6th, 

 but behaved much better than they had done the preceding 

 day. They had with them an old man, named To Java, who 

 had before testified his probity and discretion ; and he 

 appeared to be of superior rank to the rest. He came on 

 board with another Indian, when the captain presented 

 them with some nails, and two pieces of cloth of English 

 manufacture. Tojava then acquainted the captain, that 

 they were often visited by freebooters from the north, 

 who stripped them of all they could lay their hands on, 

 and often made captives of their children and wives ; and 

 that being ignorant who the English were upon their arrival, 

 the natives had taken the alarm upon the ship's Appearing 

 off the coast ; but were now satisfied of their good intent. 

 Probably, their poverty and misery may be ascribed to the 

 ravages of this banditti, who often strip them of every 

 necessary of life. The assurances of friendship which they 

 had received from the gentlemen on board, seemed to have 

 a proper influence upon the natives, who became tractable 

 and submissive. In a word, the natives now treated the 

 English with great hospitality ; a large supply of wood and 

 good water was obtained, and the ship being foul, was 

 heeled, and her bottom scrubbed in the bay. 



A variety of plants were collected here by Mr. Banks 

 and Dr. Solander ; they had never observed any of the 

 kind before. 



Early in the morning of the 9th, several canoes brought 

 a prodigious quantity of mackerel, one sort of which was no 

 way different from the mackerel caught on our coast. These 

 canoes were succeeded by many others, equally well loaded 

 with the same sort of fish ; and the cargoes purchased were 

 so great, that when salted, they might be considered as 

 a month's provision for the whole ship's company. 



This being a very clear day, the astronomer (Mr. Green) 

 and the other gentlemen landed to observe the transit of 

 Mercury, and whilst the observation was making, a large 

 canoe, with various commodities on board, came alongside 

 the ship, and the officer who had then the command, being 

 desirous of encouraging traffic, produced a piece of Otaheitan 

 cloth, of more value than any they had yet seen, which was 

 immediately seized by one of the Indians, who obstinately 



