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 - Page 82

You are here

Transcription

page 82

Remarkable Occurrances & I[Incidents] at GEORGES ISLAND
NOTE The way of reckoning the day in Sea Journals is from Noon to Noon but as the most material transaction at this Island must hapen in the Day time this method will be attended with all co...... in inserting the transactions of each day. for this reason I shall during our stay at this Island but no longer reckon the day according to the Civil account that is to begin & End at Midnight -left side note- The day to begin & end at Midnight-end left side note - 

We had no sooner come to an Anchor in Royal Bay as before-mentioned than agreed number of the Natives in their Canoes came off to the Ship & brought with them Cocoa Nutts & I, these they seem'd to get a great value upon amongst those that come off to the Ship was an elderly man whose Name was Oshaa him the Gentlemen that had been here before in the Dolphin knew I had often spoke of xx as one that had been of Service to them, this man / together with some others./ I took onboard & made much of xxx thinking that he might on some accasions be of use to us, As our stay at this place was not likely to be very short, I thought it very neccessary that some order should be observed in Traficking with the Natives, that such Merchandise as we had onboard for that purpose might continue to bear a proper value, & not leave it to every one...Particular fancy, which could not fail to bring on Confusion & Quarrels between us & the Natives, & would infallible lesson the value of such Articles as we had to Trafick with in Order to prevent this, The following rules were order'd to be Observed / Vart/.
RULES to be observed by every Person in or belonging to His Maj.s Bark the Endeavour, for the better Establishing a regular & uniformTrade for Provisions & I. with the Inhabitants of Georges Island-left side note - Regulations for trading with the Natives-end left side note- 

1. To endeavour by every fair means to Cultivate a Friendship with the Natives & to treat them with all imaginable humanity-

2  A Proper Person or Persons will be appointed to Trade with the Natives for all manner of Provisions, Fruit & other Productions of the Earth, & no Officer or Seaman, or other Person belonging to the Ship, excepting such as are so appointed, shall Trade or offer to Trade for any sort of Provisions. Fruit or other Productions of the Earth unless they have any leave so to do-

3.. Every Person employ'd on shore on any duty whatsoever is strictly to attend to the same & if by neglect he looseth any His Arms or working tools, or suffers them to be stole the full value there of will be charged against his pay according to the Custom of the Navy in such Vases & he shall receive such farther punishment as the Nature of the Offense may deserve-

4th..No sort of Iron, or any.. The same Penalty will be inflicted on every Person who is found to Emba.... Trade or Offer to Trade with any part of the Ship's Stores of what Nature serves-

 5th.. No sort of Iron, or any thing that is made of Iron, or any sort of Cloth or other useful or necessary Articles are to be given in Exchange for any thing but Provisions-

                                                 JC

 As soon as the Ship was properly s..... I went on Shore accompanied by Mr. Banks & the other Gentlemen, with a Party of Men under Arms, we took along with us Owhaa- who conducted us to the Place where the Dolphin watered & made s...to us as well as we could understand that we might Occupy that ground, but it hapn'd 

This page has its status set to Partially transcribed and is no longer transcribable.