y moored on the north side of the bay, about quarter of
a mile from the shore. Here they were well received by the inhabitants,
who at first were extremely hospitable. Captain King, in his journal of
the transactions at this place, writes:--

"As soon as the inhabitants perceived our intention of anchoring in the
bay, they came off in astonishing numbers, and expressed their joy by
singing and shouting, and exhibiting a variety of wild and extravagant
gestures. The sides, the decks, and rigging of both ships were soon
completely covered with them, and a multitude of women and boys, who had
not been able to get canoes, came swimming round us in shoals; many of
them not finding room on board, remained the whole day playing in the
water!"

Afterwards Captain Cook went ashore and was received with many
extraordinary ceremonies, which bore a strong resemblance to religious
worship, but in regard to this he and his companions could only form
conjectures, and were very glad to find that their entertainers were so
friendly. Next morning Captain King went ashore with a guard of eight
marines to erect an observatory in such a situation as might best enable
him to superintend and protect the waterers and other working parties
that were to be on shore. The spot chosen was immediately marked off
with wands by the friendly native priests, who thus consecrated the
ground, or placed it under "taboo"--a sort of religious interdiction,
which effectually protected it from the intrusion of the natives--for
none ever ventured, during their stay, to enter within the _tabooed_
space without permission.

Very different was it on board the ships. These, not being tabooed,
were overwhelmed with visitors, particularly women, who flocked on board
in such numbers that the men were obliged to clear the decks almost
every hour in order to have room to attend to their duties--on which
occasions two or three hundred women were frequently made to jump into
the water at once, where they continued swimming and playing about until
they could again obtain admittance!

While, however, the priests of the island were very attentive to their
visitors--sending them gifts of pigs and vegetables with extreme
liberality, and expecting nothing in return, the warrior chiefs were not
so disinterested. They expected and received many gifts, and they were
so much addicted to theft that a constant watch had to be kept upon
them, while examples had occasionally