wild plants gathered in
Tierra del Fuego.

AT TAHITI.

At 7 A.M. on the 13th they anchored in the bay described by Wallis, known
as Matavai, in thirteen fathoms, and Cook says of his route from Cape
Horn, "I Endeavoured to make a direct course, and in part succeeded."

CHAPTER 8. 1769. SOCIETY ISLANDS.

PRODIGIOUS EXPERT THIEVES.

Hardly had the anchor reached the bottom, before they were surrounded by
canoes, whose occupants were anxious to sell the supplies of fruits, raw
and cooked fish, and a pig they had brought. The price asked for the pig
was a hatchet, and as these were scarce, it was not purchased. When all
was made safe, a party went ashore and was well received by the natives,
but those who had previously been there with Wallis reported that those
who were at that time said to be chiefs, were keeping in the background.
The next day, however, two men, evidently of rank, came on board, and
being invited into the cabin, went through a ceremony described by Banks:
"Each singled out his friend; one took the captain, and the other chose
myself. Each took off a part of his clothes and dressed his friend with
what he took off; in return for this we presented them with a hatchet and
some beads." They were then invited by their new friends to go ashore. On
landing they were escorted to a building and introduced to an old man
they had not seen before, and he presented Cook with a cock, and Banks
with a hen, and each with a piece of native cloth. Banks gave in return
for his share his large laced silk neckcloth and a linen handkerchief.
After this they were permitted to stroll about, and received many tokens
of amity in the shape of green boughs, and were then entertained at a
banquet, the principal dishes being fish and bread-fruit. Whilst at
dinner, Solander had his pocket picked of an opera glass, and Monkhouse
lost his snuff-box. As soon as this was made known, Lycurgus, as they had
named one of their friends, drove off the people, striking them and
throwing anything he could lay his hand to, at them. He offered pieces of
cloth as compensation, and when these were refused, extended his offer to
everything he possessed. He was, at last, made to understand that all
that was wanted was the return of the stolen articles, and after a time
the snuff-box and the case of the glass were returned, and, by and by,
the glass itself. During the whole of the stay at the island they had the
greatest difficulties with the nat