laden, so that the
ship's company had a regular feast of them. Fish, also in abundance,
were brought off by the natives. On the north side of the bay, a pah,
small, but very strong and beautifully situated, was visited. It stood
on the top of a rock detached from the mainland, surrounded at
high-water. The centre part was perforated by an arch sixty feet in
height, and of considerable width. The only way of reaching the top was
by a very narrow winding path. Here there was room only for four or
five huts. Farther on was a much larger fortified village, the
inhabitants of which, to the number of a hundred, came out and invited
the strangers to visit them, and seemed highly pleased when their
invitation was accepted.

This pah, or fort, was examined with much interest, and afterwards
minutely described by the English visitors. It seemed, indeed, a place
which, if resolutely defended, was capable of holding out against any
number of assailants famished only with such arms as were seen in the
hands of the natives. It was curious that men capable of constructing
so elaborate a fortification should have invented simply such weapons as
lances, small and large battle-axes, and clubs; for not a sling nor a
bow was seen among them, nor any other weapon but those mentioned. When
stones were used they were thrown by the hand.

The Endeavour, having taken an ample supply of celery on board, sailed
from Mercury Bay. The most successful generals of ancient and modern
times were able to take advantage of their greatest victories by having
paid careful attention to their commissariat; and Cook, for the same
reason, could prolong his researches for a greater length of time than
any previous navigator, and keep his crew in tolerable health, more
especially preserve them from that fearful scourge of seamen, the
scurvy. Of course he was greatly indebted to the experienced botanists
on board, who were able to discover any anti-scorbutic plants grown on
the shores they visited. Probably the lives of thousands of seamen
might have been saved had the commanders been acquainted with the wild
plants that the loving God has everywhere provided for the use of His
creatures, capable of preventing that dire complaint.

About fifty miles to the north of Mercury Bay, the natives came off and
threw stones at the ship, nor would they listen to the expostulations
and advice of Tupia, till a musket-ball was sent through the bottom of
one of