in one of the empty huts, a hatchet and some nails were left, as a compensation for the supplies taken away.
From hence our navigator steered for Hervey's Island, discovered in his former voyage. He had supposed it to be uninhabited; and was therefore surprised, in approaching it on the 6th, to see six or seven double canoes, containing from three to six men in each, come off from the shore. For some time they kept at a distance; but Omai persuaded them to come alongside, yet no entreaties could induce any of them to venture on board. They were, however, remarkably daring in seizing whatever was within their reach, and struck one of the Discovery's men, who was preventing them from stealing the oars of a boat. They shewed, at the same time, a knowledge of barter, exchanging some fish for small nails, which they eagerly received, as they did also bits of paper, and other trifles, thrown to them. These people were more fierce and rugged in their aspect and disposition than those of Wateeoo, to which island they were subject; having more resemblance to the New Zealanders, while they spoke a dialect that approached more to the Tahitian. They wore a piece of narrow mat round the body; but not one of them was tattooed. They inquired, like the islanders last visited, the names of the ships, and their chief, the number of men on board, whence they came, and whither they were bound; while, on their part, they very readily answered the questions put to them; and stated, among other things, that they had seen two great ships pass their island before; which, doubtless, were the Resolution and Adventure.
