gone down to the beach ourselves, we might have purchased
what we pleased, but that the natives were afraid
to take money of our people, lest it should be counterfeit.
We could not but feel some indignation against a man
who had concealed this, being true; or alleged it,
being false. I started up, however, and went
immediately to the beach, but no cattle or sheep were
to be seen, nor were any at hand to be produced.
While I was gone, Lange, who knew well enough that
I should succeed no better than my people, told Mr
Banks that the natives were displeased at our not
having offered them gold for their stock; and that
if gold was not offered, nothing would be bought.
Mr Banks did not think it worth his while to reply,
but soon after rose up, and we all returned on board,
very much dissatisfied with the issue of our negociations.
During the course of the day, the king had promised
that some cattle and sheep should be brought down in
the morning, and had given a reason for our disappointment
somewhat more plausible; he said that the buffaloes
were far up the country, and that there had not been
time to bring them down to the beach.
The next morning we went ashore again: Dr Solander
went up to the town to speak to Lange, and I remained
upon the beach, to see what could be done in the purchase
of provisions. I found here an old Indian, who,
as he appeared to have some authority, we had among
ourselves called the prime minister; to engage this
man in our interest, I presented him with a spying-glass,
but I saw nothing at market except one small buffalo.
I enquired the price of it, and was told five guineas:
This was twice as much as it was worth; however, I
offered three, which I could perceive the man who
treated with me thought a good price; but he said he
must acquaint the king with what I had offered before
he could take it. A messenger was immediately
dispatched to his majesty, who soon returned, and
said that the buffaloe would not be sold for any thing
less than five guineas. This price I absolutely
refused to give; and another messenger was sent away
with an account of my refusal: This messenger
was longer absent than the other, and while I was waiting
for his return, I saw, to my great astonishment, Dr
Solander coming from the town, followed by above a
hundred men, some armed with muskets and some with
lances. When I enquired the meaning of this hostile
appearance, the Doctor told me that Mr Lange had interpreted
to him a message from the king, purporting that the
people would not trade with us, because we had refused
to give them more than half the value of what they
had to sell; and that we should not be permitted to
trade upon any terms longer than this day. Besides
the officers who commanded the party, there came with
it a man who was born at Timor; of Portuguese parents,
and who, as we afterwards discovered, was a kind of
colleague to the Dutch factor; by this man, what they
pretended to be the king’s order was delivered
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