1773.
April.
their character; for if it had the least admixture of treachery, they would have tried to fall upon us unawares, as they could not have failed of meeting with frequent opportunities of cutting off our numerous small parties, when dispersed in different parts of the woods.
It was noon when we left these two men, and proceeded down on the north side of the long arm, of which captain Cook took the bearings in his way. The night overtook us before he had completed this survey; so that we were forced to leave another arm unexplored, and to hasten to the vessel, which we reached about eight o'clock at night. We were told that the native with his companion, the young woman, had staid on board till noon, after our departure; and having been informed, that we had left some presents in his double canoe in Cascade Cove, he employed some of his people to bring them away from thence, after which the whole family remained in the neighbourhood of the ship till this morning. They then took their departure, and we never saw them again, which was the more extraordinary, as they never went away empty handed from us, but had at different times received nine or ten hatchets, and four times that number of large spike nails, besides other articles. As far as these things may be counted riches among them, this man was the wealthiest in all New Zeeland, being possessed of more hatchets, than there were in the whole country besides, before the secondarrival
