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flute, but the performer blew with his noftril inftead of his mouth : feveral others fung,only one tune, to this inftrument.
Sortie of the Indians brought the Englilh axes to grind and repair, mod of whichthey had received from the Dolphin; but a French one occafioned much fpeculation,and it at length appeared to have been left here by M. de Bougainville.
On the 25th, feveral knives belonging to the officers were miffing ; upon which Mr.Banks , who had loft his among the reft, accufed one of the chiefs with having ftolenit, which caufed him to be very unhappy, as he happened to be innocent of the fa£t,Mr. Banks ’s fervant having miflaid it; and the reft were produced in a rag by a native.This chief was fome time before he would forget this accufation, the tears ftarting fromhis eyes, and he made figns with the knife, that if he had ever been guilty of fuch anaction, as was imputed to him, he would fuffer his throat to be cut. However, ingeneral, thefe people, from the higheft to the loweft, are the greateft thieves in the
world.
On the 26th, fix fwivel-guns were mounted upon the fort, which put the natives intogreat confternation, and caufed feveral fiffiermen, who lived upon the point, to remove-farther off, imagining they were to be fired at in a few days.
The next day Tubora Tumaida, with a friend, a remarkable glutton, and three ofhis women, dined at the fort j after which hefet out for his houfe in the wood. In aIhort time he returned in much agitation, to acquaint Mr. Banks , that the ffiip’sbutcher had threatened to cut his wife’s throat, upon her refufing to fell him a ftonehatchet, which he had taken a fancy to, for a nail. It clearly appeared he had beenculpable, and he was flogged on board, in fight of feveral Indians. As foon as the fir ftftroke was given they interfered, and earneltly intreated that he might be untied. Thisbeing refufed, they burft into tears, and ffiewed great concern.
During the forenoon of this day, canoes were continually coming in, and the tents atthe fort were filled with people of both fexes. Mr. Molineux, mafter of the Endea-vour, went on ffiore, and feeing a woman, whofe name was Oberea, he declared Ih®was the perfon he judged to be the queen of the ifland, when he came there on boardthe Dolphin in the laft voyage.
The eyes of every one were now fixed on her who had made fo diftinguiffied afigure in the accounts that had been given by the firft difcoverers of this ifland. ft heperfon of the Queen Oberea was of a large make, and tall; Ihe was about forty yearsof age, her Ikin white; her eyes had great expreffion and meaning in them ; ihe hadbeen handfome, but her beauty was now upon the decline. She was foon conducedto the ffiip, and went on board, accompanied with fome of her family. Many prefen fSwere made her, particularly a child’s doll, which feemed the moft to engrofs her atten-tion. Captain Cook accompanied her on ihore ; and as foon as they landed, ffie P er 'fented him with a hog, and fome plantains, which were carried to the fort in ft t0 "ceffion, Oberea and the captain bringing up the rear. They met Tootahah, wn °’though not king, feemed to be at this time inverted with fovereign authority. He nrj'mediately became jealous of the Queen’s having the doll ; which made them find 1neceffary to compliment him with one alfo.
On Saturday 29th, in the forenoon, Mr. Banks paid a vifit to Oberea, who was j 1afleep under the awning of her canoe, whither he went with an intention of caliinSher up. "Upon entering her chamber, to his great furprize, he found her in bed wia handfome young fellow, about five-and-twenty ; upon which he immediately i‘ etirwith fome precipitation, not a little difconcerted at this difcovery; but he was 0given to underftand, that fuch amours were by no means confidered fcanda
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