James Cook - A Journal of the proceedings of His Majesty's Bark Endeavour on a voyage round the world, by Lieutenant James Cook, Commander, commencing the 25th of May 1768 - 23 Oct. 1770: No. 087

                                  GEORGES ISLAND

April 1769
leave the Island, but if it is a Religious ceremony we may not be able to understand it for the Misteries[sic] of most Religions are very Dark & not easily understood even by those who profess them-

SATURDAY 22.d} Nothing worthy of Note hapned, the People THURSDAY 27   } were Continually at work upon the Fort & the Natives were so far reconciled to us that they rather assisted us then not, This day we mounted 6 Swivels at the Fort, which was now nearly finished, this struck the Natives with some Fear, & some fishermen who lived upon the Point moved further off & old Owhaa told us by signs that after 4 Days we should fire Great Guns from the Ships. there were some other Circumstances  cooberated with this mans prophecy wither an opinion hath prevailed amongst them that after that time we intend to fire upon them, or that they intend to Attack us we know not, the first we do not intend unless the latter takes place which is highly improbable-

FRIDAY 28.th This morning a great number of the natives came to us in their Canoes from differant[sic] parts of the Island several of whom we had not seen before one of these was the Woman called by the Dolphins the Queen of their Island, who first went to Mr. Banks's Tent at the Fort where she was not known till the Master hap'ning[sic] to go ashore who knew her & brought her onboard with 2 Men & several Women who seem'd[sic] to be all of her family. I made them all some Presents or other, but to Oberiea for that is this Womans name I gave several things in return for which as soon as I went onshore with her, she gave me a Hog & several Bunches of Plantains, these she caused to be carried from her Canoes up to the Fort in a Kind of a Procession she & I. bringing up the rear. This Woman is about 40 Years of Age, & like most of the other Women very Masculine she is head or chief of her own family or Tribe but to all appearance hath no Authority over the rest of the Inhabitants whatever she might have when the Dolphin was here,Hersculis whose real Name is Tootaha is to all appearance the Chief Man of the Island & hath generally visited us twice a Week since we have been here & came always attended by a number of Canoes & People, & at those times we was^ere sure to have a supply more or less of every thing the Island afforded. both from himself & from those that came with him & it is a Chance thing that we get a Hog at any other time, he was with us at this Time & did not appear very well Pleased at the Notice we took of Oberiea-

SATURDAY 29.th This day got the 4 Guns out of the Hold & mounted 2 of them on the Quarter Deck & the other 2 in the Fort on the Bank of the River-

SUNDAY 30.th. This being the day that Owhaa told us that we should fire our Guns no one of us went from the Fort however the day passed over without any Visible alteration in the behaviour of any of the Natives-

MONDAY 1.st MAY. This morning Tootaha came onboard the Ship & was very desireous[sic] seeing into every Chest & Drawer that was in the Cabin I satisfied his curiosity so far as to open most of those that belong'd to me, he saw several things that he took a Fancy to & collected them together, but at last he Cast his Eyes upon the Adz I had from Mr Stephens that was made in imitation of one of their Stone Adzes