52 CAPTAIN COOK 



peace treaty having been ratified, the Indian 

 made the strangers understand that he wished 

 to offer them a meal. The latter accepted, and 

 a picturesque banquet took place, during which 

 fish, bread-fruit, coconuts and the fruit of the 

 plane tree were served in the Tahitian fashion. 

 During this feast Dr. Solander suddenly dis- 

 covered that a shagreen case containing a small 

 pair of glasses had been taken from him. At 

 the same moment Monkhouse, the ship's sur- 

 geon, discovered the loss of his precious snuff- 

 box. Both complained to the chief of these 

 strange thefts. The latter offered some cloth in 

 exchange, but Banks, who had already secured 

 considerable influence over the natives, refused, 

 and insisted that the stolen objects should be re- 

 turned. Toubourai Tamaide went away in 

 haste, to return a few minutes later with a tri- 

 umphant expression on his face and the snuff- 

 box and the shagreen case in his hand. But, alas, 

 the latter was empty. A look of consternation 

 appeared on the face of the chief, who went out, 

 accompanied by Banks, Solander and Monk- 

 house. He led them into a hut, where they were 

 received by a woman, to whom the Indian gave 

 a piece of cloth and the English a few beads. 

 The woman departed, to return later with the 

 glasses. Toubourai Tamaide gave the beads 

 back to Banks, and forced Solander to accept 



