9thAugust 1898

Tuesday

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 a very 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 have got a touch of music with it, not so the Natives of Santa Cruz who are very uncouth.