They Used Every Method To Conceal The Head, By Shifting It
From One To Another; And By Signs Endeavouring To Convince Us, That There
Was No Such Thing Amongst Them, Though We Had Seen It But A Few Minutes
Before.
They then took their leave of us, and went on shore.
They frequently mentioned Tupia, which was the name of the native of
George's Island (or Otaheite), brought here by the Endeavour, and who died
at Batavia; and when we told them he was dead, some of them seemed to be
very much concerned, and, as well as we could understand them, wanted to
know whether we killed him, or if he died a natural death. By these
questions, they are the same tribe Captain Cook saw. In the afternoon, they
returned again with fish and fern roots, which they sold for nails and
other trifles; though the nails are what they set the most value on. The
man and woman who had the head, did not come off again. Having a catalogue
of words in their language, we called several things by name, which
surprised them greatly. They wanted it much, and offered a great quantity
of fish for it.
Next morning, they returned again, to the number of fifty or sixty, with
their chief at their head (as we supposed), in five double canoes. They
gave us their implements of war, stone hatchets, and clothes, &c. for nails
and old bottles, which they put a great value on.
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