were cut from the lines and boats were stripped of their fittings.  They sold bladders of oil for the lamps, and it was found that they were often partly filled with water, but this was winked at in order to get on a thoroughly friendly footing.  This being a favourable opportunity to put the two vessels in order and to give the crews a spell of rest ashore, a good anchorage was sought out, and the observatory set up.  On 4th April, whilst wood and water was being got in, the natives, who had given no trouble beyond their stealing, were observed to be arming, and precautions were taken, but the Indians explained that their preparations were made against some of their own countrymen who were on their way to fight them.  After a time some canoes made their appearance, and on a deputation going out to meet them a discussion took place, and some sort of an agreement was made between the two parties, but the newcomers were not allowed to approach the ships nor to join in the trading.

The stay here was longer than was intended, for the Resolution’s fore and mizzen masts were found to be very defective, and her rigging had got into a very bad state.  The fore-mast was repaired and the mizzen replaced with a new stick, and when a great deal of work had been done this proved faulty, and a second one had to be cut.  New standing rigging was fitted to the main-mast, and a set made from the best of the old, for the fore-mast.  When the heaviest part of this work was completed Cook visited the country about King George’s Sound, and was courteously received at a village by the natives, to most of whom he was known.  Here he found the women employed making dresses out of bark in much the same way as that employed by the New Zealanders.  Sending some sailors to cut grass for the sheep and goats he had left, the natives made a claim which was at once satisfied; but when the men were ordered to go on cutting, fresh claimants sprung up, till Cook says he thought each blade of grass had a separate owner.  When at last the natives found that they could get no more, the cutting was allowed to go on without the slightest further objection.

Punch and the devil.

The people are described as being short, with broad flat faces, high cheek-bones, swarthy complexions, and no pretensions to good looks.  Burney says that it was only after much cleaning that their skins were found to be “like our people in England.”  Cook says they were docile, courteous, and good-natured, but liable to fits of passion.

“I have often seen a man rave and scold for more than half an hour without any one taking the least notice of it, nor could any one of us tell who it was he was abusing.”