noffensive behaviour of the natives having taken away
every apprehension of danger, we did not hesitate to trust ourselves
amongst them at all times, and in all situations. The officers of both
ships went daily up the country, in small parties, or even singly,
and frequently remained out the whole night. It would be endless to
recount all the instances of kindness and civility which we received
upon those occasions. Wherever we went, the people flocked about us,
eager to offer every assistance in their power, and highly gratified,
if their services were accepted. Various little arts were practised to
attract our notice, or to delay our departure. The boys and girls ran
before, as we walked through their villages, and stopped us at every
opening, where there was room to form a group for dancing. At one
time, we were invited to accept a draught of cocoa-nut milk, or some
other refreshment, under the shade of their huts; at another, we were
seated within a circle of young women, who exerted all their skill and
agility to amuse us with songs and dances.

The satisfaction we derived from their gentleness and hospitality was,
however, frequently interrupted by the propensity to stealing, which
they have in common with all the other islanders of these seas. This
circumstance was the more distressing, as it sometimes obliged us
to have recourse to acts of severity, which we should willingly have
avoided, if the necessity of the case had not absolutely called for
them. Some of their most expert swimmers were one day discovered under
the ships, drawing out the filling nails of the sheathing, which
they performed very dexterously by means of a short stick, with a
flint-stone fixed in the end of it. To put a stop to this practice,
which endangered the very existence of the vessels, we at first fired
small shot at the offenders; but they easily got out of our reach by
diving under the ship's bottom. It was therefore found necessary to
make an example, by flogging one of them on board the Discovery.

About this time, a large party of gentlemen, from both ships, set out
on an excursion into the interior parts of the country, with a view of
examining its natural productions. An account of this journey will be
given in a subsequent part of our narrative. It is, therefore,
only necessary at present to observe, that it afforded Kaoo a fresh
opportunity of shewing his attention and generosity. For as soon as he
was informed of their depar