THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 
195 
ferent as to a looking-glafs, which was offered them, and 1778. 
returned it, for the fame reafon; but fufficiently expreffed 
their defire for hamaite and toe, which they wiflied might be 
very large. Plates of earthen-ware, china-cups, and other 
fuch things, were fo new to them, that they afked if they 
were made of wood; but wifhed to have fome, that they 
might carry them to be looked at on fliore. They were, in 
fome refpects, naturally well bred; or, at leaft, fearful of 
giving offence, afking, whether they fhould fit down, whe¬ 
ther they might fpit upon the deck, and the like. Some of 
them repeated a long prayer before they came on board; and 
others, afterward, fung and made motions with their hands, 
fuch as we had been accuftomed to fee in the dances of the 
iflands we had lately vifited. There was another circum- 
ftance, in which they alfo perfectly refembled thofe other 
iflanders. At firft, on their entering the fhip, they endea¬ 
voured to fteal every thing they came near; or rather to 
take it openly, as what we either fhould not refent, or not 
hinder. We foon convinced them of their miftake; and if 
they, after fome time, became lefs adtive in appropriating 
to themfelves whatever they took a fancy to, it was becaufe 
they found that we kept a watchful eye over them. 
At nine o’clock, being pretty near the fhore, I fent three 
armed boats, under the command of Lieutenant William- 
fon, to look for a landing-place, and for frefli water. I or¬ 
dered him, that if he fhould find it neceffary to land in 
fearch of the latter, not to fuffer more than one man to go 
with him out of the boats. Juft as they were putting off 
from the fhip, one of the natives having ftolen the but¬ 
cher’s cleaver, leaped overboard, got into his canoe, and 
haftened to the fhore, the boats purfuing him in vain. 
The order not to permit the crews of the boats to go on 
Cc 2 fliore 
