A VOYAG E ROUND THE WORLD. 4 7 2
October infpires ; and though really polite, was never unbecoming.
Here, however, as in all other focieties of men, we found
■ exceptions to the general character, and had reafon to lament
the behaviour of vicious individuals. Dr. Sparrman
and myfelf having left the beach where the Latoo attracted
the attention of all our people, entered the wood in purfuit
■ of farther difcoveries in our branch of fcience. The firft
difcharge of my fowling-piece at a bird brought three natives
towards us, with whom we entered into converfation,
as far as our fuperficial knowledge of their tongue would
permit. Soon after, Dr. Sparrman ftepped afide into a
thicket in fearch of a bayonet, which he had loft from the
end of his mufket. One of the natives, finding the temptation
of the moment irrefiftible, grafped my-fowling-piece,
and flruggled to wreft it from me. I called to my companion,
and the two other natives ran away, unwilling to become
accomplices in this attack. In the ftruggle our feet
were entangled in a buth, and we both fell together; but
the native, feeing he could not gain his point, and perhaps
dreading the arrival of Dr. Sparrman, got up before me,
and took that opportunity of running off. My friend
joined me immediately ; and we concluded, that if there
was fomething treacherous or vicious in the behaviour of
this fellow, our feparation was alfo imprudent, becaufe it
had furnifhed him with an opportunity to exercife his talents,
W.e continued ftrolling about for fome time, without
any
A VOYAGE ROUND THE WORLD. 473
any finifter accident, and returned to the trading-place on ocVJJiz
the beach, where we found almoft all the people whom we
had left. ; Many of them were now feated in different little
groups, which appeared to be fo many feparate families,
and confided of perfons of various ages and fexes. They
were all in converfation, of which no doubt the arrival of
our fhips furnifhed the topics ; and many of their women
amufed themfelves either with finging or playing at ball.
There was a young girl in particular, whofe features were
more regular than common, her eyes fparkling with vivacity,
her whole frame admirably proportioned, and, what
was moft remarkable here, her long jetty hair hanging
down in graceful curls on her neck. This girl, lively and
eafy in all her aftions, played with five gourds, of the fize
of fmall apples, perfectly globular ; fhe threw them up into
the air one after another continually, and never failed to
catch them all with great dexterity, at leaft for a quarter of
an hour. The mufical ladies again performed the fame
tune which we had already heard at Ea-oowhe, the different
voices falling in with each other very harmonioufly, and
fometimes joining all together as in chorus. Though,I
never faw the natives of thefe iflands dance, yet we may add
this amufement to the lift of thofe which they are acquainted
with, from their own accounts and geftures whenever
they fold us their aprons made of ftars of coco-nut core,
and ornamented with fhell-work and red feathers, or fuch
Voc. I. P p p as