Page:Journal of the Right Hon. Sir Joseph Banks.djvu/163

Rh us, and tell us that they were rejoiced at our return; nor were they empty-handed, most of them brought something or other. The canoes were still in the river, and Captain Cook, finding that there was no likelihood now of any of the stolen goods being restored, resolved to let them go as soon as he could. His friend Potattow solicited for one, which was immediately granted, as it was imagined that the favour was asked for some of his friends; but no sooner did he begin to move the boat than the real owners and a number of Indians opposed him, telling him and his people very clamorously that it did not belong to them. He answered that he had bought it of the captain, and given a pig for it; the people were by this declaration satisfied, and had we not luckily overheard it, he would have taken away this boat, and probably soon after have solicited for more. On being detected he became so sulky and ashamed, that for the rest of the day neither he nor his wife would open their mouths, or look straight at any of us.

3rd. This morning very early Mr. Monkhouse and myself set out, resolving to follow the course of the valley down which our river comes, in order to see how far up it was inhabited, etc. etc. When we had got about two miles up it, we met several of our neighbours coming down with loads of bread-fruit upon their backs: we had often wondered from whence our small supply of bread-fruit came, as there was none to be seen upon the flats. They soon explained the mystery, showing us bread-fruit trees planted on the sides of the hills, and telling us at the same time that when the fruit in the flats failed, these, which had been by them planted upon the hills to preserve the succession, were ready for use. The quantity was much less than in the lowlands, and not by any means sufficient to supply the whole interval of scarcity. When this was exhausted they were obliged to live on ahee nuts, plantains, and vae (or wild plantain), which grows very high up in the mountains. How the Dolphin's men, who were here much about this time, came to find so great plenty of bread-fruit upon the trees, is a mystery to me, unless perhaps the season of this fruit alters. As for their