FL1162635

page 83
                 GEORGES ISLAND-

not to be fit for our purpose, no one of the Natives made the least opposition at our landing but come to us with all imaginable Marks of Friendship & Submission we Afterwards made a Circuit through the Woods, & then came onboard we did not find the inhabitants to be numerous & we imagined that several of them had fled from their habitations upon our Arrival in the Bay -

[Margin - A small Excursion to the Westward - /end margin]

FRIDAY 14th This morning we had a great many Canoes about the Ship the most of them came from the Westward but brought nothing with them but a few Cocoa Nutts [indecipherable]. Two that appeared to be Chiefs we had onboard together with several others for it was a hard matter to keep them out of the Ship as they Clime like Monkeys, but it was still harder to keep them from Stealing but every thing that came within their reach in this they are Prodidgious Expert. I made each of these 2 Chiefs a present of a Hatchet things that they seemed mostly to value, as soon as we had partly got clear of these People I took 2 Boats & went to the Westward all the Gentlemen being along with me, my design was to see if their was not a more commodious Harbour & to try the disposition of the Natives having along with us the 2 Chiefs above mentioned; the first place we landed at was in great Canoe Harbour / so called by Capt'n. Wallis / here the Natives Flocked about us in great numbers, & in as Friendly a manner as we could wish. only that they shew'd a great inclination to Pick our Pockets, we were conducted to a Chief who for distinction sake we called Hurcules, after staying a Short time with him & distributing a few Presents about us, we proceeded further & came to a Chief who I shall call Lycurgus this man entertain'd us with broild fish, Bread fruit, Cocoa Nutts,[indecipherable] with great Hospitallity & all the time took great care to tell us to take care of our Pockets, as a great number of People had crowded about us, not withstanding the care we took Dr. Solander & Dr Monkhouse had each of them their Pockets Picked, the [original text has been crossed out] one of his spy glass, & the [original text has been crossed out] other of his snuff Box, as soon as Lycurgus was made acquainted with the Theft he dispers'd the people in a moment & the method he made use of was to lay hold on the first thing that came in his way & throw it at them & happy was he or she that could get first out of his way he seem'd very much concern'd for what had hapened & by way of recompence offer'd us but every thing that was in his House, but we refused to accept of any thing & made signs to him that we only wanted the things again, he had already sent People out after them, & it was not long before they were return'd. We found the Natives very numerous whereEver we came & from what we could judge seem'd very peaceably inclin'd, about 6 o'Clock in the evening we returnd onboard very well satisfied with our little Excursion.

 [Margin - This day one of the Natives was kill'd - /end margin]

SATURDAY 15th . Winds at East during the day in the Night a light breeze off the land & as I apprehen'd it be usual here for the Trade wind to blow during great part of the day from the Eastern Board & to have it Calm or light breezes from the land that is Southerly during the night with Fair wea'r I shall only mention the wind & weather when they Deviate from this rule, This morning several of the Chiefs we had seen Yesterday came onboard & brought with them Hogs Bread fruit & I. for these we gave them Hatchets, Linnen & such things as they valued - Having not meet with yesterday a more Convenienter situation for every purpose we wanted than the place where we now are, I therefore without