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. 093

                                   Georges Island

May 1769.

Friday 26th Some flying showers of rain, This morning we haild the Pinnace ashore to examine her bottom & had the Satisfaction to find that not one worm had touched it notwithstanding she hath been in the Water nearly as long as the Long Boat, this must be owing to the White Lead with which her bottom is Painted, the Long boats being paid with Varnish of PIne for no other reason can be Assign'd why the one should be preserv'd & the other distroy'd when they are both built on the Same sort of Wood & have been in equal use, from this Circumstance alone the Bottom of all Boats sent into Countrys where these worms are ought to be painted with White Lead. & the Ships supply'd with a good stock in order to give them a New Coat when ever its necessary by this means they would be preserved free from these destructive Vermin the Longboats bottom being so much destroy'd appear'd a little extraordinary as the Dolphin Launch was in the Water at this very place full as long & no such thing hapned to her as the Officers that were in the Dolphin say

Saturday 27th Winds variable & fair weather

Sunday 28th Winds Southerly & clear weather. This morning myself. Mr Banks & Dr Solander set out in the Pinnace to pay Tootaha a Visit who had moved from Apparra to the SW part of the Island. what induced us to make him this Visit was a Message we had received from him some days ago importing that if we would go to him he would give us several Hogs, we had no great faith in this yet we was resolved to try, & set out accordingly it was Night before we reached the Place were he was & as we had left the Boat about half way behind us we was.ere obliged to take up our Quarters with him for the Night, the Chief received us in a Friendly manner & a Peg was orderd to be Killed & dress'd for Supper but we saved his Life for the Presesnt thinking it would do us more service in another place & we supped on Fruit & what else we could get, here was along with the Chief - Obaria & many more that we knowd they all seem'd to be travellers like ourselves for neither the Canoes they had along with them nor the Houses where they was ere were sufficient to contain the one half of them, we were in all Six of us & after supper, began to look out for Lodgings Mr Banks went to one place. Dr Solander to another, while I & the other 3 went to a third, we all of us took as much care of the little we had about us as possible knowing very well what sort of People we were among. Yet notwithstanding all the care we took before 12 o'Clock the most of us had lost some thing or other, for my own part I had my Stockings taken from under my head & yet I am certain that I was not aSleep the whole time, Obaria took charge of Mr. Banks's things & yet they were stol'n from her as she Pretended, Tootaha was acquainted with what had hapned. I believe by Obaria herself & both him & her made some stir about it but this was all meer shew & ended in nothing, a little time after this Tootaha came to the Hutt where I & those that with me lay & entertain'd us with a Consort of Musick consisting of 3 Drums 4 Flutes & Singing this lasted about an Hour & then they retir'd the Musick & Singing was so much of a Pace that I was very glad when it was over, we stayd with them till near noon the next day in hopes of getting some of our things again & likewise some Hogs, but we were at last obliged to come away with the one we had saved out of the Fire last Night