August We were becalmed in the evening, and during a great
w«dnefd. .s- Qf night, but had ,a S. E. wind the next morning,.
fo that we flood in fhore again, in fight of the northern-
moft part of O-Taheitee, and of the adjacent ifle of Eimeo.
The mountains here formed larger mafles, which had a
more grand effedt than at Aitepeha. The Hopes of the
lower hills were likewife more confiderable, though almoft
entirely deflitute of trees or verdure ; and the ambient
border of level land, was much more extenfive hereabouts,
and feemed in fome places to be above a mile broad. To-
wards fen o’clock we had the pleafure to fee feveral
canoes coming off from the fhore towards us. Their long
narrow fails, confiding of feveral mats- fowed together,
their dreamers of feathers, and the heap of coco-nuts and
bananas on board, had all together a pidlurefque appearance.
For a few beads and nails they difpofed of their
cargoes, and returned on fhore to take in another. About
noon our boat arrived with lieutenant Pickerfgill, who had
been very fuccefsful in trading at Aitepeha, having purchafed
nine hogs and a quantity of fruit. His majefty, Aheatua,
had been prefent at the trading-place the whole time, and
after fearing himfelf near the heap of iron wares, which
our people had brought on fhore, defired to market for
them, and was extremely equitable in giving hatchets o£
different kinds for hogs of proportionate fizes. In the
intervals however, he amufed himfelf as he had done the
evening;
evening before, with chopping fmall flicks, with which
our failors were much entertained, and after their manner
made many fhrewd obfervations on triflers. Mr. Pickerfgill
having expended his flock in trade, put off from
Aitepeha in the afternoon, and came the fame evening to
Hiddea, the diftrift of O-Rettee (Ereti) where M. de Bougainville
lay at an anchor in 1 7 6 ?. Here he was hofpitably
entertained by the worthy old chief, who is fo juflly celebrated
by that gallant French navigator; and the next morning
his brother Tarooree embarked with our officer, in order
to vifit the fhips which they faw in the offing. When he
came on board we found he had a kind of impediment in
his organs of fpeech, by which means he fubflituted a
K wherever the language required a T ; a fault which we
afterwards obferved in feveral other individuals. He
favoured us with his company at dinner, as well as another
native named O-Wahow, who was the firft that had come
aboard from this part of the ifland, and to whom my father
had immediately prefented a few beads and a fmall nail,
merely to try his difpofition. In return he produced a
fifh-hook neatly made of mother of pearl, which he gave:
to his new friend. A larger nail was the reward of this >
good-natured action; and on the receipt of this he fent
his boy to the fhore in his canoe. Towards four o’clock
the canoe returned, and brought on board' this man’s
brother, and a prefent of a number of coco-nuts, feveralbunches
1773- A ugust.