848, who remembered
Cook's visit, and imitated his walk, with the peculiar manner he had of
waving his right hand, and also told of the kindly way Cook had with the
children. Taniwha told Mundy that after the man was shot, the Maoris
landed, consulted over the body, and decided that as the corpse
"commenced the quarrel by the theft of the calico, his death should not
be revenged, but that he should be buried in the cloth which he had paid
for with his life." Colonel Wynyard took down the same story from
Taniwha's lips in 1852, when he was supposed to be about ninety-three,
and says: "His faculties were little impaired, and his great age
perceptible more from a stoop and grey hairs than any other infirmity."
Cook expressed very strong disapproval of Mr. Gore's conduct.

Next day Cook and Banks explored a river that entered near where they
were anchored, the east side of which was very barren, but the west was
much better, no signs of cultivation showing on either. Wild fowl were
plentiful, and oysters, "as good as ever came from Colchester," and of
about the same size, says Banks, were taken on board in large quantities:

"laid down under the booms, and employed the ship's company very well,
who, I sincerely believe, did nothing but eat them from the time they
came on board till night, by which time a large part were expended. But
this gave us no kind of uneasiness, since we well knew that not the boat
only, but the ship might be loaded in one tide almost, as they are dry at
half ebb."

Cook thinks the inhabitants lived on fish, and shell-fish, with fern
roots for bread, for very large heaps of shells were found, but no signs
of cultivation.

A fortified village was visited, the inhabitants good-naturedly
conducting them all over, and showing whatever they expressed a wish to
see. It was built on a high promontory, whose sides were in some places
quite inaccessible, in others very difficult, except where it faced the
narrow edge of the hill. Here it was defended by a double ditch and bank,
with two rows of pickets, the inner row being on the bank, leaving
standing-room for the defenders. The inner ditch was 24 feet from bottom
to top of the bank. A stage about 30 feet high, 40 feet long, and 6 feet
wide, was erected inside the fence, with a second, a few paces from it,
placed at right angles; from these the garrison were able to throw their
spears and stones on to the heads of their enemies. The whole village was
sur