144 CAPTAIN COOK'S VOYAGES 



was, however, soon emptied of its contents by the 

 natives. 



They returned on board to dinner, with the chief in their 

 company. He sat at table, but ate nothing ; which, as they 

 had fresh pork roasted, was a little extraordinary. Near 

 some of the houses, and in the lanes that divided the planta- 

 tions, were running about some hogs and very large fowls, 

 which were the only domestic animals they saw ; and these 

 they did not seem willing to part with, which determined 

 them to leave this place. 



The evening brought every one on board, highly delighted 

 with the country, and the obliging behaviour of the 

 inhabitants, who seemed to vie with each other in doing 

 what they thought would give pleasure. After making the 

 chief a present, consisting of various articles, and an 

 assortment of garden seeds, Captain Cook gave him to 

 understand that they were going away, at which he seemed 

 not at all moved. 



As soon as the Captain was on board, they made sail 

 down to Amsterdam ; opening the west side of the isle, they 

 were met by several canoes, each conducted by three or 

 four men. They came boldly alongside, presented them 

 with Eava root, and then came on board, without farther 

 ceremony, inviting them by all the friendly signs they 

 could make to go to their island, and pointing to the place 

 where they should anchor. 



Having secured the ships, Captain Cook landed, accom- 

 panied by Captain Furneaux, Mr. Forster, and several of 

 the officers ; having along with them a chief, or person of 

 some note, whose name was Attago, who had attached 

 himself to the Captain from the first moment of his coming 

 on board, which was before they anchored. 



After walking a little way into the country, they returned 

 to the landing-place, and there found Mr. Wales in a laugh- 

 able, though distressed situation. The boats which brought 

 them on shore not being able to get near the landing-place, 

 for want of a sufficient depth of water, he pulled off his 

 shoes and stockings to walk through, and as soon as he got 

 on dry land, had put them down betwixt his legs to put on 

 again, but they were instantly snatched away by a person 

 behind him, who immediately mixed with the crowd. It 

 was impossible for him to follow the man barefooted over 

 the sharp coral rocks, which compose the shore, without 

 having his feet cut to pieces. The boat was put back to 

 the ship, his companions had each made his way through 

 the crowd, and he was left in this condition alone. The chief 

 soon found out the thief, and recovered his shoes and 

 stockings, -and of his own accord conducted them to a 



