6.00 sighted the Island of Tucopia owing to
it being very high land could see in a long way off, arrived
12 o'clock stopped engines sent boats away sounding topick
up decent anchorage 1st cutter went away with Divers toplace
where we had gone ashore, 2 00 let go starboard anchor in
14 fathoms 6pm divers returned and reported having found
the position of all the gear with the water glass, the natives
seemed very pleased to see us back so soon, but they
did not want us to stop on shore or to land any mission
aries, The Union Jack was flying when we steamed into
harbour we had left in charge of an intelligent Native
called Laurie with instructions to haul it down when we left
but to hoist it at once when any ship appeared in sight
the old Chief of the Island will have nothing to do with us
whatsoever, they are avery peaceful race indeed dont know
what it is to quarrel or steal from one another and unlike
the natives of other Islands, have no weapons of war only a very
heavy club, which they use for killing sharks, the blue jackets
get the native sin a buch forward on the forecastle and
with presents of Biscuits & tobacco , they get them to sing their
native songs and perfomr the dances, the motion and actions
of their heads & arms would make a cat laugh, but on the
whole it is rather striking and they hav e got a touch of music
with it, not so the Natives of Santa Cruz who are very
uncouth.
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