Matters being thus established, and proper persons appointed to trade under the direction of the officers, to prevent disputes, after breakfast I landed, accompanied by Captain Furneaux, Mr Forster, and several of the officers; having along with us a chief, or person of some note, whose name was Attago, who had attached himself to me, from the first moment of his coming on board, which was before we anchored.  I know not how he came to discover that I was the commander; but, certain it is, he was not long on deck before he singled me out from all the gentlemen, making me a present of some cloth, and other things he had about him; and as a greater testimony of friendship, we now exchanged names; a custom which is practised at Otaheite, and the Society Isles.  We were lucky, or rather we may thank the natives, for having anchored before a narrow creek in the rocks which line the shore.  To this creek we were conducted by my friend Attago; and there we landed dry on the beach, and within the breakers, in the face of a vast crowd of people, who received us in the same friendly manner that those of Middleburg had done.

As soon as we were landed; all the gentlemen set out into the country, accompanied by some of the natives.  But the most of them remained with Captain Furneaux and me, who amused ourselves some time distributing presents amongst them; especially to such as Attago pointed out, which were not many, but who I afterwards found, were of superior rank to himself.  At this time, however, he seemed to be the principal person, and to be obeyed as such.  After we had spent some time on the beach, as we complained of the heat, Attago immediately conducted and seated us under the shade of a tree, ordering the people to form a circle round us.  This they did, and never once attempted to push themselves upon us like the Otaheiteans.

After sitting here some time, and distributing some presents to those about us, we signified our desire to see the country.  The chief immediately took the hint, and conducted us along a lane that led to an open green, on the one side of which was a house of worship built on a mount that had been raised by the hand of man, about sixteen or eighteen feet above the common level.  It had an oblong figure, and was inclosed by a wall or parapet of stone, about three feet in height.  From this wall the mount rose with a gentle slope, and was covered with a green turf.  On the top of it stood the house, which had the same figure as the mount, about twenty feet in length, and fourteen or sixteen broad.  As soon as we came before the place, every one seated himself on the green, about fifty or sixty yards from the front of the house.  Presently came three elderly men, who seated themselves between us and it, and began a speech, which I understood to be a prayer, it being wholly directed to the house.  This lasted about ten minutes; and then the priests, for such I took them to be, came and sat down along with us, when we made them presents of such things as were about us.  Having then made signs to them that we wanted to view the premises, my friend Attago immediately got up, and going with us, without showing the least backwardness, gave us full liberty to examine every part of it.