eft: A visit to Tootohah: Description of a Wrestling-match: European
Seeds sown: Names given to our People by the Indians_.

In the afternoon of Monday the 1st of May, we set up the observatory,
and took the astronomical quadrant, with some other instruments, on
shore, for the first time.

The next morning, about nine o'clock, I went on shore with Mr Green to
fix the quadrant in a situation for use, when, to our inexpressible
surprise and concern, it was not to be found. It had been deposited in
the tent which was reserved for my use, where, as I passed the night on
board, nobody slept: It had never been taken out of the packing-case;
which was eighteen inches square, and the whole was of considerable
weight; a centinel had been posted the whole night within five yards of
the tent door, and none of the other instruments were missing. We at
first suspected that it might have been stolen by some of our own
people, who seeing a deal box, and not knowing the contents, might think
it contained nails, or some other subjects of traffic with the natives.
A large reward was therefore offered to any one who could find it, as,
without this, we could not perform the service for which our voyage was
principally undertaken. Our search in the mean time was not confined to
the fort and places adjacent, but as the case might possibly have been
carried back to the ship, if any of our own people had been the thieves,
the most diligent search was made for it on board: All the parties
however returned without any news of the quadrant. Mr Banks, therefore,
who upon such occasions declined neither labour nor risk, and who had
more influence over the Indians than any of us, determined to go in
search of it into the woods; he hoped, that if it had been stolen by the
natives, he should find it whereever they had opened the box, as they
would immediately discover that to them it would be wholly useless; or,
if in this expectation he should be disappointed, that he might recover
it by the ascendancy he had acquired over the chiefs. He set out,
accompanied by a midshipman and Mr Green, and as he was crossing the
river he was met by Tubourai Tamaide, who immediately made the figure of
a triangle with three bits of straw upon his hand. By this Mr Banks knew
that the Indians were the thieves; and that, although they had opened
the case, they were not disposed to part with the contents. No time was
therefore to be lost, and Mr Banks made Tubourai Tam