FLOGGING NO GOOD.

Cook again complains of the thefts committed so continually, and says that no punishment they could devise was effectual, for "flogging made no more impression than it would have done upon the mainmast." The chiefs would advise him to kill those caught, but as he would not proceed to such a length the culprits generally escaped unpunished. Here the Discovery lost her best bower anchor, the cable having been chafed by the coral and parted when weighing; Burney describes how by pouring oil on the water they were able to see and recover it from a depth of seventeen fathoms. Landing on Happi they were very well received, and obtained plentiful supplies of fresh food, which was most opportune. An entertainment of boxing, wrestling, and combats with clubs made from green coconut boughs was held in their honour; and Cook says that they were carried on with the greatest good-humour in the presence of some three thousand spectators, "though some, women as well as men, have received blows they must feel some time after." When this was over the chief, Feenough, presented Cook with supplies that required four boats to take to the ships; it "far exceeded any present I had ever before received from an Indian Prince." The donor was invited on board to receive his return present, which proved so satisfactory that on his return to the shore he forwarded still more in addition to his first gift, and was amused by a drill of the marines and a display of fireworks, which, though some were spoilt, were the cause of astonishment and pleasure to the wondering natives. During one of his walks on shore Cook saw a woman just completing a surgical operation on a child's eyes. She was removing a film growing over the eyeballs, and the instruments used are described as slender wooden probes. He was not able to say if the operation were successful.

The chief, Feenough, went off to an island about two days' sail away, in order to obtain some of the feather caps which were held in high estimation; and Cook promised to wait for his return, but finding the fresh supplies were running short, he sailed along the south of the reef and put in to a bay in Lefooga. On the way the Discovery ran on a shoal, but managed to back off without damage. Although he was not short of water, Cook went ashore to inspect some well which he had been informed contained water of a very superior quality, but he found it very bad, and says: "This will not be the only time I shall have to remark that these people do not know what good water is." Near these wells was a large artificial mound about forty feet high, and fifty feet diameter on the top, on which large trees were growing. At the foot was a hewn block of coral, four feet broad, two and a half feet thick, and fourteen feet high, but the natives present said that there was only one half of it above ground. It was supposed to have been erected to the memory of a great chief, but how many years ago it was impossible to guess.