P | wards us was good-natured, friendly, and I may fay offi-
eious ; but they watched every opportunity of conveying
away fome trifles with amazing dexterity, and many among
them, whenever we returned the kind looks they gave us,
or fmiled upon them, thought that a proper time to take
advantage of our good difpofitioh, and immediately with
a begging tone faid, tayn, foe, “ friend, a bead! which,
whether we complied with or refufed, did not alter their
.good temper. When thefe petitions became too frequent,
we ufed to mock them, by repeating their words in the
fame tone, which always produced a general peal of good-
humoured laughter amongft them. Their converfation was
Commonly Loud, and it feemed that our appearance was
their principal topick ; every new-comer was immediately
made acquainted by the others with our names, which they
reduced to a few vowels and fofter confo-nants, and was
entertained with a repetition of what we had faid or done
that morning. His firft requeft was generally to hear a
mulket fired off, which we complied with on condition
that he fhould fliew us a bird as a mark. However, we
were frequently at a lofs how to behave, when he pointed
out a bird at four or five hundreds yards diftance, as they
had no idea that the effects of our fire-arms were limited
to a certain fpace. As it was not prudent to let them into
this myftery, we always pretended that we could not fee
the bird, till we came near enough to fhoot it. The firft
explofion
explofion frightened them confiderably, and on fome pro- A,
duced fuch violent confternation that they dropped down
on the ground,, or ran back about twenty yards from u?,
where they- remained till we quieted their fears by profef-
fions of friendfhip, or till their more courageous brethren
had picked up the bird which we-had killed. But they foon
became more familiar, and though they always expreffed
fome fudden emotion, yet they conquered by degrees the
appearance of fear.
Notwithftanding the friendly reception which we met:
with on all fides, the1 natives were very-anxious to keep-
their, hogs out of fight, and whenever we enquired for
them feemed uneafy, and either told us they had none, or
aflfured us they belonged to Aheatua their king. As we
perceived their- reluctance to part with thefe animals, we
thought it beft to take--no farther notice of them, - and
though we faw great numbers of them confined in pigftyes -
almoft in every hut, we pretended not to know that there
were any, or not to-care for them, this proceeding we always
found had the good effect .of encreafing the confidence -
of the people towards us.
Having advanced a mile or two, we fat down on a few
large flones, which formed a kind of paved area before,
one of the cottages, and defired the inhabitants to bring us
fome bread-fruit and coco-nuts, in exchange for beads.
They very readily fupplied u s -with a quantity of each, on
which