140 A V O Y A G E ROUND THE WORLD.
V/il ceived the ufe of, fuch as hatchets and large fpike-nails.
At this interview he introduced his whole family to us,
confifting of two women, whom we fuppofed to be his
wives ; the young woman, a boy of about fourteen years
of age, and three fmaller children, of which the youngeft
was at the breaft. One of the wives had the excrefcence
or wen on the upper lip, and was evidently negleaed by
the man, probably on account of her difagreeable appearance.
They conduaed us foon after to their habitation,
which lay but a few yards within the wood, on a low hill,
and confifted of two mean huts, made of a few flicks
thatched with unprepared leaves of the flax-plant, and covered
with the bark of trees. In return for our prefents
they parted with feveral of their ornaments and weapons,
particularly the battle-axes, but they did not choofe to give
us their fpears. When we were preparing to re-embark,.
the man came to the water-fide, and prefented tO' Captain
Cook a drefs made of the flax plant, a belt of weeds, fome
beads made of a little bird’s bones, and fome albatrofs
fkins. We were at firft o f opinion that thefe were only
intended as a retribution, for what he had received, but he
foon undeceived us by fhewing a ftrong defire of poffeff-
ing one of our boat-cloaks*. We were not charitable:
enough to part with our cloaths, when we knew the defi—
* Boat-cloaks are commonly o f prodigious dimenfions and great width, fo>
that the whole body may be wrapped into them feveral times.
ciency
ciency could not be fupplied again; but as foon as we j£gk:
came on board, Captain Cook ordered a large cloak to be
made of red baize, which we brought to the man at our
next vifit.
The rain prevented our going to him the next morning, ThurHay *
but in the afternoon, the weather being a little more pro-
mifing, we returned to Indian Ifland. However, at our
approach, inftead of being welcomed by the natives on the
fhore, we faw none of them, and received no anfwer when
we ftiouted to them. We landed therefore, and having
proceeded to their habitation, foon found the reafon of
this unufual behaviour. They were preparing to receive
us in all their finery, fome being already completely
adorned, and others ftill bufy in drefling. Their hair
was combed, tied on the crown of the head, and anointed:
with fome oil or greafe; white feathers were ftuck in at
the top; fome had fillets of white feathers all round the
* head, and others wore pieces of an albatrofs Ikin, with its
fine white down in their ears. Thus fitted out, they fhout-
ed at our approach, and received us Handing, with marks
of friendlhip and great courtefy. The captain wore the
new cloak of baize on his own fhoulders, and now took
it off and prefented the man with i t ; he, on his part,,
feemed fo much pleafed with it, that he immediately
drew out of his girdle a pattoo-pattoo, or Ihort flat dub
made of a great fitti’s bone, and gave it to the Captain in
return