505
On Wednefclay the 3d, in the morning, Mr. Banks and Dr. Solander attended asufual to purchafe provifions, but the Indians brought nothing to market ; nor couldthey procure any from fome filhing-boats which came abreaft of the tents, though theywere in great want of cocoa-nuts and bread-fruit.
Their provifions now were extremely fcarce, and the markets ill fupplied. Nextday, with fome difficulty, Mr. Banks obtained a few balkets of bread-fruit from Tu-bora Tumaida in the woods, which were a very leafonable relief. An axe and fhirtwere fent for this day by Tootahah, in return for his two hogs, which they promifed tobring him the next day. If they had not complied with this requell, they could havefcarcely procured any provifions.
After his fending again early in the morning, on Friday 5th, Mr. Banks andDr. Solander, with the captain, fet out in the pinnace, taking one of Tootahah’s peoplewith them. They foon reached Eparre, the place where he dwelt, which was buc afew miles to the weft of the tents. Upon their arrival, they found great numbers ofpeople upon the Ihore waiting for them. They were immediately conducted to thechief, whilft the natives Ihouted round them, Taio Tootahah , “ Tootahah is your friend.”They found him fitting under a tree, and fome old men Handing round him. As foonas he had made figns for them to fit down, he afked for his axe, which Captain Cook prefented to him, with a fhirt and a broad cloth garment, with which he feemed greatlypleafed ; and put the garment on. After eating a mouthful together in the boat, theywere conducted to a large area, or court-yard, on one fide of his houfe, where anentertainment was provided for them, confiding of wreftling. The chief fat at theupper end of the area, with feveral of his principal men on each fide of him, by wayof judges, from whom the conquerors received applaufe.
Ten or twelve combatants entered the area, and after many Ample ceremonies ofchallenging each other, they engaged, endeavouring to throw one another by dint offtrength; then feizing hold of each other by the thigh, the hand, the hair, or theclothes, they grappled without the Ieaft art till one was thrown on his back; this con-queft was applauded by fome words from the okl men, and three huzzas.
A man with a ftick, who made way for them when they landed, officiated here asmailer of the ceremonies, keeping order among the people.
When this entertainment was at an end, they were informed that fome hogs and aquantity of bread-fruit were preparing for their dinner; which intelligence was the moreagreeable, as their appetites were at this time exceedingly keen. But inftead of diningeither on Ihore or on board of the boat, they had the mortification of going as far asthe (hip, by the defire of the chief.
As foon as the chief was known to be on board the ffiip, the people brought plentyof bread-fruit, cocoa-nuts, and other provifions to the fort.
On Tuefday 9th, in the forenoon Oborea paid them a vifit, accompanied by h erfavourite Obadee; ffie prefented them with a hog and fome bread-fruit.
The forge being .now fet up, and frequently at work, became not only a new fubjetlof admiration to the Indians, but afforded the captain an additional opportunity of con-ferring obligations on them, by permitting the fmith, during his leifure hours, to con-vert the old iron, which they were fuppofed to have procured from the Dolphin , mt°different kinds of tools.
The natives, after repeated attempts, finding themfelves incapable of pronouncingthe names of the Englifh gentlemen, had recourfe to new ones formed from their o^ 11language. Mr. Cook was named Toote; Hicks, Iiete; Gore, Toura; Solander,'l 0 '
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