ard found it very difficult to make them
comprehend, might occasion some alarm; yet the unsuspicious conduct
of Terreeoboo, who, on his supposed arrival, the next morning, came
immediately to visit Captain Cook, and the consequent return of the
natives to their former friendly intercourse with us, are strong
proofs, that they neither meant nor apprehended any change of conduct.

In support of this opinion, I may add the account of another accident,
precisely of the same kind which happened to us on our first visit,
the day before the arrival of the king. A native had sold a hog on
board the Resolution, and taken the price agreed on, when Pareea,
passing by advised the man not to part with the hog, without an
advanced price. For this he was sharply spoken to, and pushed away;
and the _taboo_ being soon after laid on the bay, we had at first
no doubt but that it was in consequence of the offence given to the
chief. Both these accidents serve to shew, how very difficult it is
to draw any certain conclusion from the actions of people, with whose
customs, as well as language, we are so imperfectly acquainted; at the
same time, some idea may be formed from them, of the difficulties,
at the first view, perhaps, not very apparent, which those have to
encounter, who, in all their transactions with these strangers, have
to steer their course amidst so much uncertainty, where a trifling
error may be attended with even the most fatal consequences. However
true or false our conjectures may be, things went on in their usual
quiet course till the afternoon of the 13th.

Toward the evening of that day, the officer, who commanded the
watering-party of the Discovery, came to inform me, that several
chiefs had assembled at the well near the beach, driving away the
natives, whom he had hired to assist the sailors in rolling down the
casks to the shore. He told me, at the same time, that he thought
their behaviour extremely suspicious, and that they meant to give him
some farther disturbance. At his request, therefore, I sent a marine
along with him, but suffered him to take only his side-arms. In a
short time the officer returned, and, on his acquainting me, that
the islanders had armed themselves with stones, and were grown very
tumultuous I went myself to the spot, attended by a marine, with his
musket. Seeing us approach, they threw away their stones; and, on my
speaking to some of the chiefs, the mob were driven away, and those
who c