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. We were well
received by the chief and the whole tribe, which consisted of between
ninety and a hundred persons, men, women, and children, having with them
six canoes, and all their utensils; which made it probable that they were
come to reside in this sound. But this is only conjecture; for it is very
common for them, when they go but a little way, to carry their whole
property with them; every place being alike, if it affords them the
necessary subsistence; so that it can hardly be said they are ever from
home. Thus we may easily account for the emigration of those few families
we found in Dusky Bay.
Living thus dispersed in small parties, knowing no head but the chief of
the family or tribe, whose authority may be very little, they feel many
inconveniences, to which well-regulated societies, united under one head or
any other form of government, are not subject. These form laws and
regulations for their general good; they are not alarmed at the appearance
of every stranger; and, if attacked or invaded by a public enemy, have
strong-holds to retire to, where they can with advantage defend themselves,
their property, and their country. This seems to be the state of most of
the inhabitants of Eahei-nomauwe; whereas those of Tavai-poenammoo, by
living a wandering life in small parties, are destitute of most of these
advantages, which subjects them to perpetual alarms. We generally found
them upon their guard, travelling and working, as it were with their arms
in their hands. Even the women are not exempted from bearing arms, as
appeared by the first interview I had with the family in Dusky Bay; where
each of the two women was armed with a spear, not less than 18 feet in
length.
I was led into these reflections, by not being able to recollect the face
of any one person I had seen here three years ago: Nor did it once appear,
that any one of them had the least knowledge of me, or of any person with
me that was here at that time. It is therefore highly probable that the
greatest part of the people which inhabited this sound in the beginning of
the year 1770, have been since driven out of it, or have, of their own
accord, removed somewhere else. Certain it is, that not one third of the
inhabitants were here now, that were then. Their stronghold on the point of
Motuara hath been long deserted; and we found many forsaken habitations in
all parts of the sound. We are not, however, wholly to infer from this,
that this place hath been once very populous; for each family may, for
their own convenience, when they move from place to place, have more huts
than one or two.
It may be asked, if these people had never seen the Endeavour, nor any of
her crew, how could they become acquainted with the name of Tupia, or have
in their possession (which many of them had) such articles, as they could
only have got from that ship? To this it may be answered, that the name of
Tupia was so popular among them when the Endeavour was here, that it would
be no wonder if, at this time, it was known over great part of New Zealand,
and as familiar to those who never saw him, as to those who did. Had ships,
of any other nation whatever, arrived here, they would have equally
enquired of them for Tupia. By the same way of reasoning, many of the
articles left here by the Endeavour, may be now in possession of those who
never saw her. I got from one of the people, now present, an ear ornament,
made of glass very well formed and polished. The glass they must have got
from the Endeavour.
After passing about an hour on Motuara with these people, and having
distributed among them some presents, and shewed to the chief the gardens
we had made, I returned on board, and spent the remainder of our royal
master's birth-day in festivity; having the company of Captain Furneaux and
all his officers. Double allowance enabled the seamen to share in the
general joy.
Both ships being now ready for sea, I gave Captain Furneaux an account in
writing of the route I intended to take; which was to proceed to the east,
between the latitudes of 41 deg. and 46 deg. S., until I arrived in the longitude
of 140 deg. or 135 deg. W., then, provided no land was discovered; to proceed to
Otaheite; from thence back to this place, by the shortest route; and after
taking in wood and water, to proceed to the south, and explore all the
unknown parts of the sea between the meridian of New Zealand and Cape Horn.
Therefore, in case of separation before we reached Otaheite, I appointed
that island for the place of rendezvous, where he was to wait till the 20th
of August:
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