TAHITI 57 



some native huts. When he woke up, Banks dis- 

 covered that his coat, waistcoat, pistol and pow- 

 der-flask had been spirited away. His breeches 

 alone remained to him. Dressed in this article 

 of clothing alone, he went on shore, where he 

 met, walking about with bare legs, Cook, who 

 informed him that his stockings had been stolen, 

 although he had taken the precaution of putting 

 them under his head while he slept. The rest 

 of the party had lost their outer clothes. In 

 spite of a vigorous search the clothes were never 

 found, and Banks was compelled to enter the 

 fort in a Tahitian dress. 



In order to put an end to these continued 

 thefts. Cook seized about twenty canoes laden 

 with fish, and warned the natives that he would 

 not give them up until all the articles which had 

 disappeared since the arrival of the Endeavour 

 had been returned. Very few were surrendered, 

 and as the fish was beginning to spoil, Cook al- 

 lowed the islanders to come and fetch it. These, 

 fresh from their lesson in the laws pertaining to 

 other people's property, removed a quantity of 

 fish which did not belong to them. At last, to 

 avoid trouble, Cook in despair gave up the 

 canoes. 



The observation of the transit of Venus duly 

 took place on June 3rd (9 A.M. — 3 P.M.) , and was 

 highly successful. 



