SECOND VOYAGE 163 



As they steered along the coast, the natives appeared in 

 several places, armed with long spears and clubs, and some 

 were got together on one side of the creek. Two boats well- 

 armed were sent ashore, under the command of Lieutenant 

 Cooper, with a view of having some intercourse with them. 

 They saw them land without the least opposition. Some 

 little time after, however, observing forty or fifty natives, all 

 armed, coming towards the boats, they stood close in shore, 

 in order to be ready to support their people in case of an 

 attack. But nothing of this kind happened ; and soon after 

 the boats returned on board, when Mr. Cooper informed the 

 Captain that, on his landing, only a few of the natives met 

 him on the beach, but there were many in the skirts of the 

 woods with spears in their hands. The presents he made 

 them were received with great coolness, which plainly 

 showed they were unwelcome visitors. They brought on 

 board five dogs, which seemed to be in plenty there. They 

 saw no fruit but cocoa-nuts, of which they got by exchanges 

 two dozen. 



This island, which is called by the inhabitants Tiookea, 

 was discovered and visited by Commodore Byron. It has 

 something of an oval shape, and is about ten leagues in 

 circuit. 



On the 18th, at day-break, they wore down to another 

 isle which they had in sight to the westward, which they 

 reached by eight o'clock, and ranged the S.E. side at one 

 mile from shore. These must be the same islands to which 

 Commodore Byron gave the name of George's Islands. 



It cannot be determined with any degree of certainty 

 whether this group of isles be any of those discovered by the 

 Dutch navigators, or no ; this part of the ocean is sa 

 strewed with those low isles that a navigator cannot 

 proceed with too much caution. 



They made the high land of Otaheite on the 21st of April, 

 and at eight o'clock the next morning anchored in Matavai 

 Bay. This was no sooner known to the natives than many 

 of them came off to the ship, and expressed not a little joy 

 at seeing them again. 



On the 24th, Otoo the king, and several other chiefs, with 

 a train of attendants, paid them a visit, and brought them 

 as presents ten or a dozen large hogs, besides fruits. Cap- 

 tain Cook, knowing how much it was his interest to make 

 this man his friend, met him at the tents, and conducted 

 him and his companion on board, where they remained to 

 dinner, after which they were dismissed with suitable 

 presents, and highly pleased with the reception they had 

 met with. 



They now found these people were building a great 



