*m other to the north (or Tafman’s Amfterdam ifland) bore the
name of Tonga-Tabboo. We confulted feveral of the
natives, in order to have greater certainty on this point,
and always received the.fame names in amwer.
After brcakiaft, the captains went on fhore with us and
the chief, who had continued on board all that time. A
bed of coral rocks furrounded the eoaft, towards the landing
place i but many canoes occupied the deep channels
between thefe rocks, and a great number of inhabitants in
them as well as on the fhore, fhouted for joy at our approach.
The canoes immediately came along fide the boat,
and the natives threw great bales of' cloth into it, without
afking for any thing in return; while many of both fexes
fwam about perfectly naked, holding up fome trifles, fuch
as rings of tortoife-fhell, fifh-hooks of mother of pearl, and
the like, for fale. As foon as we could make way through
the throng of canoes, we approached as near as poflible to
the fhore, and were carried to it out of our boat, for which
the natives very readily offered their backs. The people-
thronged about us with every expreffion of friendfhip, and;
offered a few fruits, with a variety of arms and utenfils»
The cordial reception which we met with, was fuch as;
might have been expe&ed from a people well acquainted
with our good intentions, and accuftomed to the tranfitory
vifits of European fhips. But thefe kind iflanders had never
feen Europeans among them, and could only have heard
of
of Tafman who vifited the adjacent Amfterdam ifland, by life
imperfedt tradition. Nothing was therefore more confpi-
cuous in their whole behaviour than an open, generous
difpofition, free from any mean diftruft. This was confirmed
by the appearance of a great number of women in
the croud, covered from the waift downwards, whofe looks
and fmiles welcomed us to the fhore. Mr. Hodges defigned
this memorable interview in an elegant picture, which has
been engraved for captain Cook’s account of this voyage.
The fame candour with which I have made it a rule to
commend the performances of this ingenious artift, whenever
they are charadteriftic of the objedts which he meant
to reprefent, obliges me to mention, that this piece, in which
the execution of Mr. Sherwin cannot be too much admired,
does not convey any adequate idea of the natives of Ea-
oowhe or of Tonga-Tabbo. The plates which ornamented
the hiftory of captain Cook’s former voyage, have been
juftly criticifed, becaufe they exhibited to our eyes the pleaf-
ing forms of antique figures and draperies, inftead of thofe
Indians of which we wifhed to form fome idea. But it
is alfo greatly to be feared, that Mr. Hodges has loft
the lketches and drawings which he made from Nature
in the courfe of the voyage, and fupplied the deficiency
in this cafe, from his own elegant ideas. The con-
noiffeur will find Greek contours and features in this
picture, which have never exifted in the South Sea. He