All I Could Do, I Could Not Prevail On The Two That Remained To Call These
Strangers Along-Side; On The Contrary, They Were Displeased At My Doing It,
And Wanted Me To Fire Upon Them.
The people in the canoe seemed to pay very
little regard to those on board, but kept advancing slowly towards the
ship, and after performing the usual ceremonies, put along-side.
After this
the chief was easily prevailed upon to come on board, followed by many
others, and peace was immediately established on all sides. Indeed, it did
not appear to me that these people had any intention to make war upon their
brethren. At least, if they had, they were sensible enough to know, that
this was neither the time nor place for them to commit hostilities.
One of the first questions these strangers asked, was for Tupia; and when I
told them he was dead, one or two expressed their sorrow by a kind of
lamentation, which to me appeared more formal than real. A trade soon
commenced between our people and them. It was not possible to hinder the
former from selling the clothes from off their backs for the merest
trifles, things that were neither useful nor curious. This caused me to
dismiss the strangers sooner than I would have done. When they departed,
they went to Motuara, where, by the help of our glasses, we discovered four
or five canoes, and several people on the shore. This induced me to go over
in my boat, accompanied by Mr Forster and one of the officers.
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