me birds to
them, they did not return these, and easily made us comprehend that they
were fond of such food. I had brought two pigs ashore, with a view to
leave them in the woods. The instant these came within their reach, they
seized them, as a dog would have done, by the ears, and were for
carrying them off immediately, with no other intention, as we could
perceive, but to kill them.

Being desirous of knowing the use of the stick which one of our visitors
carried in his hand, I made signs to them to shew me; and so far
succeeded, that one of them set up a piece of wood as a mark, and threw
at it at the distance of about twenty yards. But we had little reason to
commend his dexterity; for, after repeated trials, he was still very
wide from the object. Omai, to shew them how much superior our weapons
were to theirs, then fired his musquet at it, which alarmed them so
much, that notwithstanding all we could do or say, they ran instantly
into the woods. One of them was so frightened, that he let drop an axe
and two knives that had been given to him. From us, however, they went
to the place where some of the Discovery's people were employed in
taking water into their boat. The officer of that party, not knowing
that they had paid us so friendly a visit, nor what their intent might
be, fired a musquet in the air, which sent them off with the greatest
precipitation.

Thus ended our first interview with the natives. Immediately after their
final retreat, judging that their fears would prevent their remaining
near enough to observe what was passing, I ordered the two pigs, being a
boar and sow, to be carried about a mile within the woods at the head of
the bay. I saw them left there, by the side of a fresh-water brook. A
young bull and a cow, and some sheep and goats, were also, at first,
intended to have been left by me, as an additional present to Van
Diemen's Land. But I soon laid aside all thought of this, from a
persuasion that the natives, incapable of entering into my views of
improving their country, would destroy them. If ever they should meet
with the pigs, I have no doubt this will be their fate. But as that race
of animals soon becomes wild, and is fond of the thickest cover of the
woods, there is great probability of their being preserved. An open
place must have been chosen for the accommodation of the other cattle;
and, in such a situation, they could not possibly have remained
concealed many days.

The mor