5 8o A v o y a g e r o u n d t h e w o r l d .
.774. were valued in the next degree according to the fize of the
M arch. ( ~
pieces ; and iron-ware bore an inferior price. The greateit
part of the natives who traded with us inftantly ran off with,
the cloth, nut-fhell, or the nail which had been given in
exchange for their potatoes, as i f they were'apprehenfive
that we might repent of our bargain, even though they-
dealt honeftly with us. Some among them were bold enough
to run off with what they had received, as the price of their,
provifions, before they had delivered up the goods for which:
we had bargained. From fuch cireumftances the deplorable
condition of the natives became more and: more confpi-
cuous. The fcarcity of cloth among them was extremely-
great, mod of the people being forced to go naked; but this-
did not prevent their felling what little cloth they had in
exchange for that of Taheitee; The defire of poffeffing this,
cloth prompted them to expofe to fale feveral articles which,
perhaps they would not have parted with fo eafily under,
other cireumftances. Among thefe were their different-caps,
or head-drefles, their necklaces, ornaments for the ear, and
feveral human figures, made of narrow pieces of wood:
about eighteen inches or two feet long, and wrought in a
much neater and more proportionate manner than we could
have expected, after feeing the rude fculpture of the ftatues.
They were made to reprefent perfons of both fexes ; the fear
tures were not very pleafing, and the whole figure was much
too long to be natural; however, there was fomething charafteriftic
radleriftic in them, which Ihewed a tafte for the arts. The march,
wood of which they were made was finely poliflied, clofe-
grained, and of a dark-brown, like that of the cafuarina.
But as we had not yet feen this tree growing here, we eagerly
expedited the return of our party, hoping they would
make feme difeoveries to explain this circumftance. Machine
was moft pleafed with thefe carved human figures, the
workman of which much excelled thofe of the e- T^ees in his
country,, and he purchafed feveral of them, alluring us they
would be greatly valued at Taheitee. As he took great
pains to collect: thefe curiofities, he once met with a figure
of a woman’s hand, carved of a yellowilh wood, nearly of
the natural fize. Upon examination, its fingers were all
bent upwards, as they are in the aftion of dancing at Taheitee;
and its nails were reprefented very long, extending
at leaft three fourths of an inch beyond the fingers end.
The wood of which it was made was the rare perfume-
wood of Taheitee, with the chips of which they communicate
fragrance to their oils. We had neither feen this wood
growing, nor obferved the cuftom of wearing long nails at
this ifland,,and therefore were at a lofs to conceive how this-
piece of well-executed carving could be met with there
we hoped, however, to unravel this circumftance alfo at the,
return of our party. Mahine. afterwards prefented this
piece to my father, who has in his turn made a prefent of
it to the Britifti Mufeum. Mahine was likewife very eager.
to