ome pretty butterflies, and a few
other insects.

Though there were, at this time, no fixed inhabitants upon the island,
indubitable marks remained of its being at least occasionally
frequented. In particular, a few empty huts were found. There were also
several large stones erected, like monuments, under the shade of some
trees, and several spaces inclosed with smaller ones, where, probably,
the dead had been buried. And, in one place, a great many cockle-shells,
of a particular sort, finely grooved, and larger than the first, were to
be seen; from which it was reasonable to conjecture, that the island had
been visited by persons who feed partly on shell-fish. In one of the
huts Mr Gore left a hatchet and some nails, to the full value of what we
took away.

As soon as the boats were hoisted in, I made sail again to the
northward, with a light air of wind easterly, intending to try our
fortune at Hervey's Island, which was discovered in 1773, during my last
voyage. Although it was not above fifteen leagues distant, yet we did
not get sight of it till day-break in the morning of the 6th, when it
bore W.S.W. at the distance of about three leagues. As we drew near it,
at eight o'clock, we observed several canoes put off from the shore, and
they came directly toward the ships. This was a sight that indeed
surprised me, as no signs of inhabitants were seen when the island was
first discovered; which might be owing to a pretty brisk wind that then
blew, and prevented their canoes venturing out as the ships passed to
leeward, whereas now we were to windward.

As we still kept on toward the island, six or seven of the canoes, all
double ones, soon came near us. There were from three to six men in each
of them. They stopped at the distance of about a stone's throw from the
ship, and it was some time before Omai could prevail upon them to come
along-side; but no entreaties could induce any of them to venture on
board. Indeed, their disorderly and clamorous behaviour by no means
indicated a disposition to trust us, or treat us well. We afterward
learnt that they had attempted to take some oars out of the Discovery's
boat, that lay along-side, and struck a man who endeavoured to prevent
them. They also cut away, with a shell, a net with meat, which hung over
that ship's stern, and absolutely refused to restore it, though we
afterward purchased it from them. Those who were about our ship behaved
in the same daring manner; for the