176 CAPTAIN COOK'S VOYAGES 



Their weapons are clubs, spears, and bows and arrows. 

 The two former are made of hard or iron-wood. Their bows 

 are about four feet long, made of a stick split down the 

 middle, and are not circular, but bent more at one end than 

 the other. The arrows, which are a sort of reeds, are some- 

 times armed with a long sharp point, made of hard wood, 

 and sometimes with a very hard point made of bone ; and 

 these points are all covered with a substance which they 

 took for poison. Indeed, the people themselves confirmed 

 their suspicions, by making signs to them not to touch the 

 point, and giving them to understand, that if they were 

 pricked by them they would die. 



The people of Mallicollo seemed to be a quite different 

 nation from any they had yet met with, and speak a different 

 language. Of about eighty words, which Mr. Forster 

 collected, hardly one bears any affinity to the language 

 spoken in any other island or place they had ever been at. 

 The letter R is used in many of their words ; and frequently 

 two or three being joined together, such words were found 

 difficult to pronounce. The Captain observed that they 

 could pronounce most of the English words with great 

 ease. They express their admiration by hissing like a 

 goose. 



To judge of the country by the little they saw of it, it must 

 be fertile ; but their fruits were not so good as those of the 

 Society or Friendly Isles. They left them a couple of dogs, 

 of which they soon became very fond. 



The harbour, which is situated on the N. E. side of 

 Mallicollo, the Captain named Port Sandwich ; and it is so 

 sheltered, that no winds can disturb a ship at anchor there. 

 Another great advantage is, that the vessel can be brought 

 so near the shore as to cover the people who may be at 

 work upon it. 



Soon after they got to sea they stood over for Ambrym. 

 On the 24th, they reached an island near Apee, about four 

 leagues in circuit ; it is remarkable by having three high 

 peaked hills upon it, by which it has obtained that name. 

 They now steered to the east ; and having weathered 

 Threehills, stood for a group of small isles which lie off the 

 S.E. point of Apee. These were called Shepherd's Isles, in 

 honour of Dr. Shepherd, professor of astronomy at Cam- 

 bridge. 



It should have been remarked, that the night before they 

 came out of Port Sandwich, two reddish fish, about the size 

 of large bream, and not unlike them, were caught with 

 hook and line. On these fish most of the officers, and some 

 of the petty officers, dined the next day. The night follow- 

 ing, every one who had eaten of them was seized with violent 



