ht his wife and family to the fort, and did not hesitate to throw
himself down and sleep on Mr Banks's bed. The voyagers were gradually
gaining an insight into the manners and customs of the people. Mr
Monkhouse, in one of his walks, learned their mode of treating their
dead. He found the body of the poor man who had been shot. It was
wrapped in cloth, and placed on a high platform supported by stakes,
with a roof over it; near it were some instruments of war and other
articles. Two other bodies were seen near, in a similar position, the
bones of which were perfectly dry. The first was near the hut in which
the man had lived. On the approach of the white man to the bodies the
natives showed considerable uneasiness, and seemed greatly relieved when
the examination was over.

A few days afterwards Tootahah amused them by a concert. There were
four performers on flutes having two stops, which were sounded by
application to the end of the nose, instead of the mouth; one nostril
being stopped by the hand.

Longer excursions from the shore than they had at first ventured to take
gave the explorers a good notion of the fertility and resources of the
country. After passing a belt of fertile land, about two miles wide,
they came to a range of barren hills. These being crossed, they
descended into a wide plain, watered by a river issuing from a fertile
valley, which was nearly a hundred yards wide, and at a considerable
distance from the sea.

This plain was thickly studded over with houses, the inhabitants of
which seemed to live in the full enjoyment of the ample productions of
their country. As they became better acquainted with the people, it was
discovered that, amiable as the people appeared, they had many vicious
habits. They were generally expert and pertinacious thieves, although
some of the chiefs appear to have been exempt from this vice, or to have
been ashamed of practising it on their liberal visitors.

The fort was completed on April 26, and six swivel guns were mounted on
it. This seemed very naturally to excite the apprehensions of the
people, and some fishermen who lived near wisely moved farther off.
Owhaw, indeed, intimated by signs that the English would begin to fire
their guns in four days. Notwithstanding this, Tubourai Tamaide and
other chiefs, with their wives, came into the fort and ate without
showing any signs of fear. Again the commander's patience was tried by
the misconduct of on