e canoes
attempting to follow her, we found it necessary to intimidate them, by
firing some small shot: We were at such a distance, that it was
impossible to hurt them, yet our reproof had its effect, and they
desisted from the pursuit. They had some fish in their canoes, which
they now offered to sell, and which, though it stunk, we consented to
buy: For this purpose a man in a small boat was sent among them, and
they traded for some time very fairly. At length, however, one of them,
watching his opportunity, snatched at some paper which our market-man
held in his hand, and missing it, immediately put himself in a posture
of defence, flourishing his patoo-patoo, and making show as if he was
about to strike; some small-shot were then fired at him from the ship, a
few of which struck him upon the knee: This put an end to our trade,
but the Indians still continued near the ship, rowing round her many
times, and conversing with Tupia, chiefly concerning the traditions they
had among them with respect to the antiquities of their country. To this
subject they were led by the enquiries which Tupia had been directed to
make, whether they had ever seen such a vessel as ours, or had ever
heard that any such had been upon their coast. These enquiries were all
answered in the negative, so that tradition has preserved among them no
memorial of Tasman; though, by an observation made this day, we find
that we are only fifteen miles south of Murderer's bay, our latitude
being 41 deg. 5' 32", and Murderer's bay, according to his account, being
40 deg. 50'.

The women in these canoes, and some of the men, had a head-dress which
we had not before seen. It consisted of a bunch of black feathers, made
up in a round form, and tied upon the top of the head, which it entirely
covered, and made it twice as high, to appearance, as it was in reality.

After dinner, I went in the pinnace with Mr Banks, Dr Solander, Tupia,
and some others, into another cove, about two miles distant from that in
which the ship lay: In our way we saw something floating upon the water,
which we took for a dead seal, but upon rowing up to it, found it to be
the body of a woman, which to all appearance had been dead some days. We
proceeded to our cove, where we went on shore, and found a small family
of Indians, who appeared to be greatly terrified at our approach, and
all ran away except one. A conversation between this person and Tupia
soon brought hack the rest, ex