On the 8th the wood-cutters were entertained in a friendly manner by some Indians, who seemed to be of a rank above those they had yet seen: and some of these visiting the Captain, he laid before them a thirty-six shilling piece, a guinea, a crown-piece, a dollar, some shillings, new halfpence, and two large nails; and having intimated that they might take their choice, they eagerly seized the nails, and then took a few halfpence; but left all the other pieces untouched.
The Indians now refused to supply the market, unless they could get large nails in exchange: the Captain therefore ordered the ship to be searched, when it was found that almost all the hammock-nails were stolen, and great numbers drawn from different places: on which every man was ordered before the Captain, who told them, that not a man should go on shore till the thieves were discovered; but no good consequence arose from his threats.
Three days after this, the gunner conducted to the ship a lady of a portly figure and agreeable face, whose age seemed to be upwards of forty. This lady had but lately arrived in that part of the island; and the gunner, observing that she seemed to have great authority, presented her with some toys; on which she invited him to her house, and gave him some fine hogs. She was afterwards taken on board at her own desire, where her whole behaviour indicated the woman of fine sense and superior rank. The Captain presented her with a looking-glass and some toys, and gave her a handsome blue mantle, which he tied round her with ribbands.
Having intimated that she should be glad to see the Captain on shore, he signified his intention of visiting her on the following day. Accordingly on Sunday the 12th, Captain Wallis went on shore, where he was met by his fair friend, who was attended by a numerous retinue, some of whom she directed to carry the Captain, and others who had been ill, over the river, and thence to her habitation: the procession was closed by a guard of marines and seamen. As they advanced, great numbers of Indians crowded to see them; but, on a slight motion of her hand, they made ample room for the procession to pass.
Having come near her habitation, many persons of both sexes advanced to meet her, whom she caused to kiss the Captain’s hand, while she signified that they were related to her. Her house was above 320 feet in length, and about 40 in breadth. The roof, which was covered with the leaves of the palm-tree, was supported by a row of pillars on each side, and another in the middle. The highest part of the thatch on the inside was about 30 feet from the ground, and the space between the sides of the building and the edge of the roof being 12 feet, was left entirely open.
The Captain, Lieutenant, and Purser, being seated, the lady helped four of her female attendants to pull off their coats, shoes, and stockings; which being aukwardly performed, the girls smoothed down the skin, and rubbed it lightly with their hands for more than half an hour; and the gentlemen received great benefit from the operation. The Surgeon, being heated with walking, having pulled off his wig, one of the Indians screamed out; the eyes of the whole company were instantly fixed on the miraculous sight, and they remained some time in the most profound astonishment. When they had recovered from their surprize, the lady ordered several bales of cloth, the produce of the island, to be brought out, in which she dressed the Captain and all his attendants. Orders had been given, that the Captain should be carried as before; but as he chose to walk, she took hold of his arm, and when they came near any wet or dirty places, she lifted him over, with as much ease as a man would a child. She attended them to the shore, when she took her leave; having presented the Captain with a fine sow, big with young.
On the following day the gunner being dispatched to this lady, with a compliment of bill-hooks, hatchets, &c. found her entertaining many hundreds of the natives, who were seated in order round her habitation. A mess was ordered for the gunner, who reported, that it was of an agreeable flavour, and seemed to be a compound of fowls and apples, shred in small pieces, and mixed with salt-water. The lady herself distributed the provisions, which were served in cocoa-nut shells, and those shells brought in trays by her servants. When the company were all fed, the lady took her seat somewhat above the rest, and was fed by two female servants, one standing on each side of her. She received the Captain’s presents with evident signs of satisfaction.
From this period the crew was much better supplied with refreshments, hogs and fowls being brought to the market daily; but they could not be purchased at the former prices, owing to the commerce before-mentioned, between the sailors and the Indian women: the Captain therefore ordered, that not one woman should be permitted to come over the river, and that no man should leave the ship till he had first been searched.
The gunner, who was on shore on the 14th, met with the following affecting incident. He saw an old woman, on the opposite side of the river, weeping in a most lamentable manner. When she found he regarded her distress, she sent a youth to him, who, having made a long oration, laid a branch of plantain at his feet, and then retired, and brought over the woman and two hogs. The youth now made a still longer speech, after the conclusion of which this unfortunate woman made the gunner understand, that when the English fired on her countrymen, her husband and three of her sons had been killed. Her agitation of mind was such, that before she had finished her tale, she sunk speechless to the ground; nor were two lads, who attended her, in a much better situation. The gunner pitied her distress, and endeavoured to comfort her. At length she became somewhat calmer, offered him her hand, and directed the hogs to be given him: in return he would have given her much more than their value, but she would not take the most trifling article.
On the 15th a large party, in all the boats, rowed round part of the island, in order to take a view of it, and purchase provisions. They returned with a number of hogs and fowls, and some plantains and cocoa-nuts. The island was found to be every where very pleasant, and to abound with various necessaries of life. Great numbers of canoes were seen, and several not quite built. The tools of the natives were formed of bones, shells, and stones. Dogs and hogs were the only four-footed beasts. The inhabitants ate all their meat either roasted or baked, having no vessel in which water could be boiled; nor, indeed, did they seem to have the least idea that water could be heated by fire; this will be proved by the following circumstance. While the lady so frequently mentioned was at breakfast on board the ship, a person that attended her, having observed the cock of an urn turned to fill the tea-pot, he also turned the cock, and the scalding water falling on his hand, he cried out, and danced about the cabin, while the other Indians gazed at him with terror and surprize.
On the 17th Captain Wallis received another visit from the lady; (whom he calls his Queen) and this day plenty of refreshments were purchased of some Indians, whom they had never dealt with before. The Queen repeated her visit on the following day, and gave the Captain two hogs: and the Master being sent to attend her home, she clothed him in the dress of the country, as she had done the Captain and his retinue. On the 19th a great number of hogs and pigs, with fowls and fruits in the greatest abundance, were purchased and sent on board by the gunner. The next day one of the sailors was sentenced to run the gauntlet three times round the deck, while the crew whipped him with nettles, for drawing nails from the ship; but the tars were so well disposed to spare a brother in iniquity, that his punishment was rather nominal than real: this gave rise to an order, that no person should go on shore but those appointed to procure wood and water.
Captain Wallis’s Queen paid him another visit on the 21st, and presented him with some hogs. On her departure she invited the Captain to her house, who, taking some officers with him, attended her home. On their arrival, she tied round their hats some wreaths of plaited hair, and distinguished the Captain’s by the additional ornament of a tuft of feathers of different colours. When they returned she went with them to the water-side, and ordered some presents into the boat. Just before they put off Mr. Wallis intimated, that he should finally depart in seven days; when she made signs that he should stay twenty: but his resolution to depart within the first-mentioned time being repeated, she wept incessantly for a considerable time.
By the 22d the ship was so well stored with hogs and fowls that the deck was covered; but, as they would eat little else than fruit, they were killed faster than was otherwise intended. A boar and sow of this breed were brought to England, and given to Mr. Stephens, secretary of the admiralty; the former of which was living when this account was printed, but the latter died in farrowing.