On Saturday, July 1, they returned to the fort at Port Royal Harbour; having discovered the island, both peninsulas included, to be about one hundred miles in circumference. They were now very much in want of bread-fruit, owing to the scarcity of the season, and could obtain but a very small quantity upon their whole tour.
Their Indian friends crouded about them upon their return, and none of them came without provisions.
Monday the 3d, Mr. Banks made an excursion, with some Indian guides, to trace the river up the valley to its source, and observe to what extent its banks were inhabited. After meeting with houses for the space of six miles, they came up to one which was said to be the last that could be seen. The master of it presented them with cocoa-nuts and other fruits; and after a short visit, they continued their walk. In this tour they often passed under vaults, formed by rocky fragments, in which, they were informed, that those who were benighted often took refuge. They pursued the course of the river for about five or six miles further, and found it banked on both sides by rocks which were almost perpendicular, and near one hundred feet high, notwithstanding which, a way was to be traced up these dreadful precipices, and their Indian guides offered to conduct them by this path to the summit; but as it could not be effected without the utmost difficulty and danger, and there appeared nothing at the top to recompence them for the fatigue and hazard of the undertaking, they declined attempting it.
Mr. Banks during this tour had a fine opportunity of searching for minerals among the rocks, which were almost, on all sides, naked; he found, however, not the smallest appearance of any kind of mineral. The stones every where resembling those of Madeira, gave manifest signs of having been burnt. Scarce a single stone was found during their whole stay upon the island, which had not unquestionable marks of fire on it, except the hatchet stone, and some of these were not entirely free from it. There are also evident traces of fire in the clay upon the hills, both of this and the neighbouring islands.
Mr. Banks was engaged the 4th in planting on each side of the fort a great quantity of the seeds of water-melons, oranges, lemons, limes, and other plants and trees which he had brought from Rio de Janeiro. He gave of these seeds to the Indians in great plenty, and planted many of them in the woods: some of the melon-seeds, which had been planted soon after his arrival, had already produced plants which appeared to be in a very flourishing state.
They now began to make preparations for their departure; but before they set sail they had another visit from Oamo, Oberea, and their son and daughter. The young woman, whose name they understood to be _Toimata_, was very curious to see the fort, but Oamo would by no means permit her to come in. The son of Waheatua, sovereign of Tiarrabou, or the south-east peninsula, was also here at this time; and they received intelligence of the arrival of another guest, whose company they neither wished for nor expected; this was the Indian who had stolen the quadrant.
On Friday the 7th, the carpenters were ordered to take down the gates and pallisadoes of the fort, to be converted into firewood on board the Endeavour; and one of the Indians stole the staple and hook belonging to the gate: he was instantly pursued; but could not be found; and soon after this, their old friend Tubora Tumaida brought back the staple.
They continued on the 8th and 9th to pull down the fort, and their friends still visited them.
Captain Cook hoped now to quit the island, without any farther misunderstanding with the natives; but in this he was mistaken. Two foreign sailors having been out, one of them was robbed of his knife, and striving to recover it, the Indians attacked and wounded him in a dangerous manner with a stone; his companion also received a slight wound in the head. As Captain Cook would have been unwilling to have taken farther notice of the transaction, he was not sorry that the offenders had made their escape. Another affair equally disagreeable soon after happened. Between the 8th and 9th in the evening; two young marines retired secretly from the fort, and in the morning were not to be met with. Notice having been given for all the company to go on board the next day, and that the ship would sail that day or the day ensuing, Captain Cook began to fear that the marines intended to remain on shore. He was apprised, that no effectual steps could be taken to recover them, without risking the harmony and good fellowship which at present subsisted between the English and the natives; and therefore resolved to wait a day in hopes of their returning.
The 10th in the morning the marines not being returned, an enquiry was made after them, when the Indians declared they did not propose returning, having taken refuge in the mountains, where it was impossible to discover them, and that each had taken a wife. In consequence of which it was intimated to several of the Chiefs who were in the fort with their women, among whom were Tubora Tumaida, Tomio and Oberea, that they would not be suffered to quit it till the deserters were produced. Captain Cook thought this precaution necessary, as, by concealing them a short time, he might be compelled to go without them; they received the intimation with very little signs either of fear or discontent, assuring the Captain that the marines should be sent back. In the interim he sent Mr. Hicks in the pinnace to bring Tootahah on board the ship, which he executed without giving any alarm. Night coming on, Captain Cook judged it was not prudent to let the people, whom he had detained as hostages, remain at the fort, and he therefore ordered Tubora Tumaida, Oberea, and some others, to be brought on board. This gave an unusual alarm, and several of them, especially the females, testified their apprehensions with great agitation of mind, and floods of tears, when they were coming on board. Captain Cook went on board with them, Mr. Banks remaining on shore with some others, whom he thought it of less importance to detain.
One of the marines was brought back in the evening by some of the Indians, who reported, that the other, and the two people who were sent to fetch them back, would be detained whilst Tootahah was confined. Mr. Hicks was immediately dispatched in the long-boat, with several men, to rescue the English prisoners; at the same time Captain Cook told Tootahah, that it was incumbent on him to assist them with some of his people, and to give orders, in his name, that the men should be set at liberty, for that he should expect him to answer for the event. Tootahah immediately complied, and this party recovered the men without any opposition. About seven in the morning on the 11th they returned, but without the arms which had been taken from them when they were made prisoners: the arms were however brought on board soon after, and the Chiefs were allowed to return on shore.
At the time the Chiefs were set on shore from the ship, those at the fort were also released, and after remaining with Mr. Banks about an hour and a half, they all returned to their respective places of residence. When the deserters were examined, it was discovered, that the account which the Indians had given was no way false: they had become fond of two girls, and it was their design to keep themselves concealed till the ship had let sail, and continue upon the island.
Tupia, whose name has been often mentioned in this voyage, had been prime minister of Oberea, when she was at the pinnacle of her authority: he was also the principal priest of the island, and therefore intimately acquainted with the religion of the country. He was likewise deeply versed in navigation, and was thoroughly acquainted with the number, situation, inhabitants and produce of the adjacent islands. He had often testified a desire to go with them; and on Wednesday the 12th, in the morning, he came on board, with a boy about twelve years of age, his servant, named Taiyota, and requested the gentlemen on board, to let him go with them. As it was thought he would be useful to them in many particulars, they unanimously agreed to comply with his request. Tupia then went ashore for the last time to see his friends, and took with him several baubles to give them as parting tokens of remembrance.
Mr. Banks being willing to obtain a drawing of the Morai, in possession of Tootahah, at Eparre, Captain Cook accompanied him thither in the pinnace, together with Dr. Solander. They immediately, upon landing, repaired to Tootahah’s house, where they were met by Oberea, and several others. A general good understanding prevailed, and they promised to visit the gentlemen early the next day, to take leave of them, as they were told that the ship would then set sail. There also they met Tupia, who came back with them, and slept for the first time on board the ship.
Thursday the 13th of July, the ship was visited by a multitude of the gentlemen’s friends, and surrounded by numberless canoes, which contained the inferior natives. They weighed anchor about twelve, and the Indians took their leaves of the gentlemen on board, weeping in a friendly and affecting manner. Tupia supported himself in this scene with a becoming fortitude, tears flowed from his eyes, its true, but the effort that he made to conceal them did him additional honour. He went with Mr. Banks to the mast-head, where he continued waving his hand to the canoes as long as they remained visible.