. At one time a small hostile
demonstration was made by the natives, but the landing of a few marines
and an order from the king put an end to it.

SMART WORKMEN.

The following day Cook was invited on shore and found some natives busy
erecting two sets of poles, one on each side of the place set apart for
the guests. Each set consisted of four placed in a square about two feet
apart, secured from spreading by cross pieces, and carried up to a height
of about thirty feet, the intervening space being filled with yams. On
the top of one structure were two baked pigs, and on the other alive one,
with a second tied by its legs about half way up. Cook was particularly
struck by the way the men raised these two towers, and says if he had
ordered his sailors to do such a thing, they would have wanted carpenters
and tools and at least a hundredweight of nails, and would have taken as
many days as it did these people hours. When the erections were
completed, piles of bread-fruit and yams were heaped on either side, and
a turtle and some excellent fish were added, and then the whole was
presented to Cook.

A party of officers from both ships went off to an island without leave,
and returned two days after without their muskets, ammunition, and other
articles which had been stolen. They persuaded Omai to make a private
complaint to the king, which resulted in the chiefs leaving the
neighbourhood. Their disappearance annoyed Cook, and when the affair was
explained to him he severely reprimanded Omai for speaking on the matter
without orders. This put Omai on his mettle, and he managed to persuade
Feenough to return, and informed the king that no serious consequences
should ensue. Matters were then easily smoothed over; most of the stolen
goods, including the missing turkey, were returned, and the king said he
ought not to have been held responsible, for, if he had known that any
one wished to see the island, he would have sent a chief who would have
ensured their safety.

An eclipse of the sun was to occur on 5th July, and Cook decided to
remain so as to secure observations, and meanwhile employed himself in
exploring the neighbourhood and studying the customs of the natives. On
one occasion, thinking to see an interesting ceremony, he accompanied
Polaho, who was going to do state mourning for a son who had been dead
some time. The result was disappointing, and the chief impression left
with Cook seems to have been that over th