JUNE 1769 EARLIER VISIT OF EUROPEANS 97 
bay called Hidea, some leagues to the eastward of Matavie, 
where our ship now lies; that during their stay they sent 
tents ashore, and some slept in them; that they were chiefly 
connected with a chief whose name was Orette, and whose 
younger brother they carried away with them, promising to 
return in nine months; that they had on board their ships 
a woman; and that on their departure they stood to the 
westward as long as they were seen from the island. I 
was very particular in these inquiries, as the knowledge got 
by them may be of some consequence, The methods by 
which I gained this account would be much too tedious to 
mention. One of my greatest difficulties was to determine 
the nationality of the ships: for this purpose I pointed to 
our colours and asked whether the two ships had the same 
or not. “No,” was the answer, when the question was 
thoroughly understood. JI then opened a large sheet of 
flags, and asked which of them they had. Tubourai looked 
steadfastly over them, and at last pitched upon the Spanish 
ensign, and to that he adhered, although we tried him over 
and over again.’ 
9th. Yesterday and to-day the Heiva no Metua, or chief 
mourner, walked. My curiosity was raised by his most 
singular dress, and being desirous of knowing what he did 
during his walk, I asked Tubourai, at the same time desiring 
leave to attend him to-morrow, which was readily granted 
upon my consenting to act a character. 
Bread-fruit has for some time been scarce with us; 
about ten days ago, when there had been a great show of 
fruit, the trees were thinned all at once, and every one was 
employed in making mahie for about a week. Where the 
bread-fruit we now have comes from we cannot tell, but we 
have more than the woods around us can supply us with; 
probably our consumption has thinned the trees in this 
neighbourhood, as the Dolphin, which came here about this 
time, found great plenty during the whole of her stay. If 
this is the case, what we now get may be brought from 
1 As will appear later (see p. 370), the ships were French, under 
Bougainville. 
H 
