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                    GEORGES ISLAND
May 1769

SATURDAY 6th} Nothing remarkable only that the  Natives supply us with as much
& SUNDAY 7th} bread fruit & Cocoa Nuts as we can destroy -

MONDAY 8th Early this morning the Master went to the Eastwood in the Pinnace to try if he could procure some Hogs & Fowls from that Quarter, but he return'd in the Evening without success, he saw but very few & those the inhabitants pretended belong'd to Tootaha so great is this mans influence or authority over them that they dare part with nothing without his Consent or otherwise they only make use of his Name to Excuse themselves from parting with the few they have. for it is very certain these things are in no great plenty with them

TUESDAY 9th } Nothing remarkable hapened for these 3 days Oberia the Dolphins
Wednesday 10th} Queen made us a Visit for the first time since the Quadrant was Stolen
Thursday 11th} She interduced herself with a Small Pig. for which she had a Hatchet & as soon as she got it she lugg'd out a Broken Axe & several pieces of Old Iron these I believe she must have had from the Dolphin the Axe she wanted to be mended & Axes made of the old Iron, I obliged her in the first but excused myself  in the latter since the Natives had seen the Forge at work they have frequently brought pieces of Iron to be made into one sort of Tool or other which hath generally been done when ever it did not hinder our own work being willing to Oblige them in everything in my Power. These Pieces of old Iron the Natives must have got from the Dolphin as we know of no other ship being here & very Probable some from us. for there is no species of Theft they will not commit to get this Article & I may say the same of the common Seamen when in these Parts.

FRIDAY 12th.Cloudy weather with Showers of rain This morning a Man & 2 Young Women with some others came to the Fort whom we had not seen before & as their manner of interducing themselves was a little uncommon I shall insert it. Mr. Bank's was as usual at the Gate of the Fort trading with the People when he was told that some Strangers [was original text has been crossed out] were coming & therefore stood to receive them, the Company had with them about a Dozen young Plantain Trees & some other small Plants these they laid down about 20 feet from Mr Banks, the People then made a lane between him & them when this was done the Man/who appeared to be only a Servant to the two women brought the young Plantains singly, together with some of the other Plants & gave them to Mr Banks & at the delivery of each pronounced a short sentence which we [did not original text has been crossed out] understood not after he had thus disposed of all his plantain trees he took several pieces of Cloath & spread them on the ground, one of the Young women then step'd upon the Cloth & with as much innocency as one could Possibly conceive exposed herself intirely naked from the Waist downwards in this manner she turn'd herself once or twice round. I am not certain which,then step'd of the Cloth & drop'd down her Cloths [down original text has been crossed out] more cloth was then spread upon the former & she again perform'd the same Ceremony, the Cloth was then rowld up & given to Mr Banks & the two Young woman went & Embraced him which ended the Ceremony -

SATURDAY  13th Nothing worthy of Note hapned during the day, in the Night one of the Natives attempted to get into the Fort by Climbing over the Wall but being discovered by the Centinel he made off. the Iron & Iron Tools daily in use at the Armourers Forge are Temptations that these People cannot Possibly withstand-