Joseph Banks - Endeavour Journal, 25 August 1768 - 12 July 1771 - No. 0340
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[Page 340]
Otahite
but nobody went up the trees we were resolvd to them at least so calling for a hatchet we threatned to cut down the trees if our demands were not complied with nobody objected to our doing so if we chose it nor did any body atempt to climb the trees to supply us just now however we luckily saw two men busy in stripping a parcel of them these we obligd to sell their stock consisting of 16. With these we embarkd taking with us Tuahów one of our indians who had returnd to us last night long after dark. When we in the boat talkd over this behaviour of our freinds we were inclind to beleive that they were strangers here & consequently had not the disposal of the provisions indeed we never had before met with any dificulty in getting from them any provisions of which they had enough.
The reef here was irregular & the ground very foul so that the boat was continualy surroundd with breakers we followd a canoe which led us to a passage where by waiting for a slatch of still water we got out tho not without danger for the sea broke quite across almost as soon as the boat was clear we were now off the SW end of the Island the land apeard here very barren no reef to shelter the coast & the hills every where butting out to the sea without any flatts here were however some houses & inhabitants & on ledges of the hills here & there a little breadfruit & higher up large quantities of Faé this lasted for about a League when we again saw the reef &