e all turned out of the ship, and two muskets were fired
over the head of the chief offender to frighten him. On this, he jumped
out of his canoe, which, with two others, was brought on board, and a
gun was fired along shore, but so as not to hurt any one. This soon
cleared the coast. In one of the canoes was a little boy, who was at
first very much frightened, but beads were given to him, and he was sent
in safety on shore. This quickly restored the confidence of the
natives, and all by the evening were again good friends.

The intercourse with the natives now went on with tolerable smoothness,
though their thieving propensities frequently nearly brought about a
rupture. On one occasion, in Captain Cook's presence, a native seized
the musket of one of the guards on shore, and made off with it. Some of
the seamen were sent after him, but he would have escaped had not the
natives also given chase, knocked down the thief, and brought back the
musket. Although fear may possibly have operated on this occasion with
the natives more than a sense of justice, Captain Cook was thankful to
them, because he would certainly have lost ten times the value of the
weapon in endeavouring to recover it by force.

The following day a thief brought on board a quantity of fruit as a
present, among which were a number of cocoanuts, which, after the juice
had been extracted, had been thrown away by the seamen. These had been
so artfully tied up in bundles that at first the cheat was not
perceived. The chief did not seem at all ashamed when the trick was
discovered, but having opened a few himself, acknowledged that they were
empty. On going on shore, however, he sent off a quantity of plantains
and bananas.

A supply of water, fruit, and roots having been got on board, Captain
Cook was preparing to sail for Matavai, when it was announced that
Waheatoua was coming to meet him. He found the young chief seated in
the open air on a stool, surrounded by a large number of attendants, and
at once recollected him, having known him when a boy, under the name of
Tearee. He had, on the death of his father, Waheatoua, taken his name.
The chief begged Captain Cook to remain some months, promising hogs and
provisions of all sorts. He insisted on keeping the captain by his
side, and whenever they moved about the stool was carried after them,
that they might again be seated in the same position.

Before the ships had come to an anchor in Mata