Joseph Banks - Endeavour journal, 25 August 1768 - 12 July 1771 - No. 0321
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[Page 321]
Imao
June 1769
& soon after had the satisfaction of seeing the sun rise as clear & bright as we could wish him. I then wishd success to the observers Msrs Gore & Monkhouse & repaird to the Island where I could do the double service of observing the manner examining the natural produce & buying provisions for my companions who were engagd in so usefull a work about eight a large quantity of provisions were procurd when I saw two boats coming towards the place where I traded these I was told belongd to Tarróa the King of the Island who was coming to pay me a visit as soon as the boats came near the shore the people formd a lane he landed bringing with him his sister Nuna & both came towards the tree under which I stood I went out & met them & brought them very formaly into a circle I had made into which I had before sufferd none of the natives to come standing is not the fashion among these people I must provide them a seat which I did by unwrapping a turban of Indian cloth which I wore instead of a hat & spreading it upon the ground upon which we all sat down & the Kings present was brought Consisting of a hog a dog & a quantity of Bread fruit Cocoa nuts &c. I immediately sent a boat canoe to the Observatory to fetch my present an adze a shirt & some beads with which his majesty seemd well satisfied. Tubourai &Tamio who came with us now came ashore from the observatory she said that she was related to Tarróa & brought him a present a long nail & a shirt, which she gave to Nuna after the first Internal contact was over I went to my Companions at the observatory carrying with me Tarróa Nuna & some of their cheif atendants to them we shewd the planet upon the sun & made them understand that we came