*773* '
A ugust.
The heat was as great as it had been the day before,
the thermometer Handing at 900 in the fhade, when the
fky was covered with clouds; the wind likewife dying
away again at noon to a perfect calm. Notwithftanding
the wafte of fluids which the weather occafioned, we could
not fay that we found the climate affedted us too much, or
was very difagreeable. On the contrary, allowing for the
violent exercife we had undergone at the ftriking of the
fhip, we found ourfelves more refrelhed by the bare proximity
of the fliore, than we could have expedted. The breadfruit
and yams proved a luxurious and moft welcome fub-
ftitute for worm-eaten bifcuit ; while plantanes, and a
fruit of thefhape of an apple, called e-vee by the natives,
furnifhed out a delicious defert. Our only remaining wilh,
with regard to eatables, was to be able to purchafe fome
hogs and fowls, which might fupply the place of fait
beef.
In the afternoon the captains, accompanied by feveral
gentlemen, went afhore the firft time, in order to vijit
O-Aheatua, whom all the natives thereabouts acknowledged
as arcs, or king. Numbers of canoes in the mean
while furrounded us, carrying on a brifk trade with vegetables,
but chiefly with great quantities of the cloth made
in the ifland. The decks were likewife crouded with natives,
among whom were feveral women who yielded
without difficulty to the ardent follicitations of our failors.
Some
2'6j
Some of the females who came on board for this purpofe, alsum
feemed not to be above nine or ten years old, and had not
the leaft marks of puberty. So early an acquaintance with
the world feems to argue an uncommon degree of volup-
tuoufnefs, and cannot fail of affecting the nation in general.
. The effedt, which was immediately obvious to me,
was the low ftature of the common clafs of people, to
which all thefe proftitutes belonged. Among this whole
order we faw few perfons above the middle fize, and many
below i t ; an abfervation which confirms what M. de Buffion
has very judicioufly faid on the fubjedt of early connections
of the fexes, (fee his Hiftoire Naturelle.) Their features
were very irregular, and in general very ordinary, except
the eyes, which were always large and full of vivacity4
but a natural fmile, and a conftant endeavour to pleafe, had
fo well replaced the want of beauty, that our failors were
perfeftly captivated, and carelefsly difpofed of their ffiirts
and cloaths to gratify their miftrefles. The fimplicity of a
drefs which expofed to view a well proportioned bofom
and delicate hands', might alfo contribute to fan their
amorous lire ; and the view of feveral of thefe nymphs
fwimming nimbly all round the Hoop, fuch as nature had
formed them, was perhaps more than fufficient entirely to,
fubvert the little reafon which a mariner might have left
to govern his paffions. A trifling circumftance had given
caufe to their taking the water. One of the officers on the
V ol. I. M m quarter