182 CAPTAIN COOK'S VOYAGES 



to be Paowang) to the woods, and made him understand he 

 wanted to cut down some trees to take on board the ship. 

 Paowang very readily gave his consent to cut wood ; nor 

 was there any one who made the least objection. Having 

 landed again, they loaded the launch with water, and after 

 making three hauls with the seine, caught upwards of three 

 hundred pounds of mullet and other fish. It was some 

 time before any of the natives appeared, and not above 

 twenty or thirty at last, amongst whom was their trusty 

 friend Paowang, who made them a present of a small pig, 

 which was the only one they got at this isle. 



During the night, the volcano, which was about four 

 miles to the west vomited up vast quantities of fire and 

 smoke, as it had also done the night before ; arid the flames 

 were seen to rise above the hill which lay between. At 

 every eruption it made a long rumbling noise, like that of 

 thunder, or the blowing up of large mines. A heavy shower 

 of rain, which fell at this time, seemed to increase it ; and 

 the wind blowing from the same quarter, the air was loaded 

 with its ashes. It was | kind of fine sand or stone, ground 

 or burnt to powder, and was exceedingly troublesome to 

 the eyes. 



Early in the morning of the 7th, the natives began again 

 to assemble near the watering-place, armed as usual, but not 

 in such numbers as at first. On landing, they found many 

 of the islanders much inclined to be friends, especially the 

 old people ; on the other hand, most of the younger were 

 daring and insolent, and obliged them to keep to their arms. 

 The Captain staid till he saw no disturbance was likely to 

 happen, and then returned to the ship, leaving the party 

 under the command of Lieutenants Clerke and Edgcumbe. 



On the 9th, Mr. Forster learnt from the people the proper 

 name of the island, which they call Tanna. They gave them 

 to understand, in a manner which they thought admitted of 

 no doubt, that they eat human flesh, and that circumcision 

 was practised among them. One of the men employed in 

 taking in ballast, scalded his fingers in removing a stone out 

 of some water. This circumstance produced the discovery 

 of several hot springs at the foot of the cliff, and rather 

 below high-water mark. 



During the night of the 10th and llth, the volcano was 

 rather troublesome, and made a terrible noise, throwing up 

 prodigious columns of fire and smoke at each explosion, 

 which happened every three or four minutes ; and at one 

 time, great stones were seen high in the air. Mr. Forster 

 and his party went up the hill, on the west side of the 

 harbour, where he found three places whence smoke of a 

 sulphurous smell issued, through cracks or fissures in the 



