THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 
199 
upon them to rife. They then brought a great many fmall 1778. 
pigs, which they prefented to me, with plantain-trees, t J anuar /-, 
tiling much the fame ceremonies that we had feen prac- 
tifed, on fuch occalions, at the Society and other iflands ; 
and a long prayer being fpoken by a lingle perfon, in which 
others of the alfembly fometimes joined. I exprefled my 
acceptance of their proffered friendfhip, by giving them, in 
return, fuch prefents as I had brought with me from the 
fliip for that purpofe. When this introductory bufinefs was 
finifhed, I ftationed a guard upon the beach, and got fome 
of the natives to conduct me to the water, which proved to 
be very good, and in a proper fituation for our purpofe. It 
was fo confiderable, that it may be called a lake; and it ex¬ 
tended farther up the country than we could fee. Having 
fatisfied myfelf about this very effential point, and about the 
peaceable difpofition of the natives, I returned on board; 
and then gave orders that every thing fhould be in readi¬ 
ngs for landing and filling our water-cafks in the morning; Wednef. %u 
when I went afhore with the people employed in that fer- 
vice, having a party of marines with us for a guard, who 
were ftationed on the beach. 
As foon as we landed, a trade was fet on foot for hogs 
and potatoes, which the people of the ifland gave us in ex¬ 
change for nails and pieces of iron, formed into fomething 
like duffels. We met with no obftruCtion in watering; on 
the contrary, the natives aflifted our men in rolling the 
calks to and from the pool; and readily performed what¬ 
ever we required. Every thing thus going on to my fatis- 
faclion, and conftdering my prefence on the fpot as unne- 
ceflary, I left the command to Mr. Williamfon, who had 
landed with me, and made an excurfion into the country, up 
the valley, accompanied by Mr. Anderfon and Mr. Webber; 
- * H the 
