13th May 1769

Tahiti

Nothing worthy of Note hapned during the day; in the Night one of the Natives attempted to get into the Fort by Climbing over the Wall, but, being discovered by the Centinel, he made off. The Iron and Iron Tools daily in use at the Armourer's Forge are Temptations that these people cannot possibly withstand.

Joseph Banks Journal

Our Freinds with us this morn in very good time as they generaly are, very shortly after sunrise plenty of cocoa nuts etc. at the market. After it was over, about 10 O'Clock, I walkd into the woods with my gun, as I generaly did to spend the heat of the day in the Indian houses where I could be cool from the shade of the trees which every where grow about them. In my return I met Tubourai near his house; I stopd with him, he took my gun out of my hand, cockd it and holding it up in the air drew the trigger, fortunately for him it flashd in the pan. Where he had got so much knowledge of the use of a gun I could not conceive but was sufficiently angry that he should attempt to exersise it upon mine, as I had upon all occasions taught him and the rest of the Indians that they could not offend me so much as even to touch it. I scolded him severely and even threatned to shoot him. He bore all patiently but the moment I had crossd the river he and his family bag and baggage movd of to their other house at Eparre. This step was no sooner taken than I was informd of it by the Indians about the fort.

Not willing to lose the assistance of a man who had upon all occasions been particularly usefull to us I resolv'd to go this evening and bring him back, acordingly as soon as dinner was over I set out acompanied by Mr Molineux. We found him setting in the middle of a large circle of people, himself and many of the rest with most melancholy countenances some in tears; one old woman on our coming into the circle struck a sharks tooth into her head many times till it foamd with blood but her head seemd to have been so often excersisd with this expression of greif that it was become quite callous, for tho the crown of it was coverd with blood enough did not issue from the wounds to run upon her cheeks. After some few assurances of forgiveness Tubourai agreed to return with us, in consequence of which resolution a double canoe was put off in which we all returnd to the tents before supper time, and as a token of a renewal of freindship both him and his wife slept in my tent all night. About 11 one of the natives atempted to scale our walls intending no doubt to steal whatever he could find, but seeing himself observd he made off much faster than any of our people could follow him.

Sydney Parkinson’s Journal

Mr. Banks sat in the boat, trading with them as usual, we saw a very odd ceremony performed:—Some strangers came up, to whom the rest gave way, making a lane for them to pass through: the first person in the procession presented Mr. Banks with a small bunch of parrot's feathers, with some plantain, and malape-leaves, one after another. A woman passed along the next, having a great many clothes upon her, which she took off, and; spreading them upon the ground, turned round, and exposed herself quite naked: more garments being handed to her, by the company, she spread them also upon the ground, and then exposed herself as before; then the people gathered up all her clothes, took leave, and retired.