Ii6 WHITE'S JOURNAL OF A 
tended town, to dig fawpits, and to perform every thing 
that was efiential towards the works purpofed to be carried 
on. Although the fpot fixed on for the town was the moft 
eligible that could be chofen, yet I think it would never 
have anfwered ; the ground around it being fandy, poor, 
and fwampy, and but very indifferently fupplied with water. 
The fine meadows talked of in Captain Cook's voyage, I 
could never fee, though I took fome pains to find them out ; 
nor have I ever heard of a perfon that has feen any parts 
refembling them. While the people were employed on 
fhore, the natives came feveral times among them, and 
behaved with a kind of cautious friendfhip. One evening, 
while the feine was hauling, fome of them were prefent^ 
and exprefled great furprife at what they faw ; giving a 
fhout exprefiive of aflonifhment and joy, when they per- 
ceived the quantity that was caught. No fooner were 
the fifh out of the water, than they began to lay hold 
of them, as if they had a right to them, or that they were 
their own ; upon which the officer of the boat, I think 
very properly, reftrained them ; giving, however, to each 
of them a part. They did not at firfl: feem very well 
pleafed with this mode of procedure, but on obferving 
with 
