ained at this anchorage for a week, and obtained plenty of
coconuts and bananas; but though they saw hogs, they were unable to
purchase any, as the people declared they all belonged to their chief;
so, hearing he was in the neighbourhood, Cook landed to call on him, and
at once recognised him as Tearee, whom he had seen in 1769. The chief
also remembered him, and enquired after several of the Endeavour people.
He tried to get Cook to make a longer stay, promising supplies of fresh
meat as an inducement, but as such promises had so often been broken
before, Cook replied he should leave the next day. Whilst here one of the
marines, who had been ailing more or less all the voyage, and had become
dropsical, died, and the one man who was suffering from scurvy still
remained on the sick list. On the other hand, the Adventure's crew had
greatly improved in health with the change to fresh vegetables. One of
the natives was found to have picked up coconuts from which the sailors
had drunk the milk, and having carefully sealed up the holes, resold
them, and did not seem disconcerted when his trick was found out.

Before the ships reached their anchorage at Matavai Bay they were crowded
with natives, many of whom Cook recognised, and almost all of whom knew
him. Otoo, the king, at once recognised Cook, and enquired after Banks,
Solander, and others of the Endeavour; yet Forster gravely asserts that
he never saw them at the former visit. The old fort on Point Venus was
reoccupied, tents pitched, and the observatory set up, and the camp was
placed under the command of Lieutenant Edgecombe of the Marines.

SPANIARDS HANGED.

The king gave a theatrical entertainment in honour of their arrival, at
which his sister was the only female performer. It had some reference to
the coming of the ships, but they were not able to follow the thread of
the story. Cook could see that Otoo was nervous and uncomfortable, and
felt dissatisfied with his reception, so determined to cut short his
stay. No one could understand the reason of the unsatisfactory feeling,
but Forster suggests that it was owing to the advice of a Spanish
deserter, who had left his ship about March 1773. This vessel was
commanded by Don Juan de Langara y Huarto, and was from Callao; her
voyage has not been published, but the natives gave Forster to understand
that four of her sailors had been hanged on her arrival. Cook refers to
the presence of a white man, who, when he though