1774*
JuiiY. into the air as high as he couid. The man very readily
complied, and had drawn his bow, when’ fome of his countrymen,
fecolledting that we might look upon this as an
infringement of the peace, called out to him to flop, and
alarmed all the people on the beach, by pronouncing a few
words, which immediately produced univerfal filence, ex-
preffing extreme jealoufy in a mod dreadful manner, and
affording a proper fubjedl to- exereife the talents of painters
and poets. Affrighted countenances, full of anxiety and-
horrid fufpenfe ; many a wild flare, many a gloomy, mif-
ehievous look, and fome undaunted Ready glances; an
infinite variety of attitudes; a- charafteriftic difference in the'
manner of handling the arms ; the fcene, the groups of
inhabitants, &c. all confpired to furnifh the proper requi-
fites for a good pifture.
As foon as this alarm was over, our wood-cutters refumed
their occupations, and the natives admired their fkill. A-
few women now likewife came to our lines, but remained
at fome diftance. They were of fmall ftature, and had the
moft difagreeable features which we had obferved in the
South Sea. Thofe who were grown up, and probably married,
had fhort pieces o f a kind of cloth, or rather matting
round their waifts, reaching nearly to the knees t the reft
had only a firing round the middle with a whifp of ftraw;
and the younger ones, from'infancy to the age of ten years,
went ftafk naked, like the boys of the fame age. Some of
thefe
thefe women had covered their heads with the orange
powder of turmeric-root; fome had daubed their face, and
others their whole body with this colour, which on their
dark fkins had a moft filthy effedf. But with their countrymen
it is probably efteemed an ornament, as the tafte of
mankind is aftonifhingly various. We did not obferve,
.that thefe women had any finery in their ears, round their
neck, or arms; for it feems it is fafhionable in the ifland,
•only for the men to adorn themfelves. Wherever that is
the cafe, the fex is commonly oppreffed, defpifed, and in a
deplorable fituation. They were feen with bundles on their
backs, which contained their children, and had a moft
miferable appearance. The men feemed to have no kind
of regard- for them, would not permit them to come nearer j
and as oft as we went towards them, the women ran
away.
About noon a great part of the croud difperfed, probably
to take their dinner. Captain Cook received an invitation
from the chief, to accompany him to his dwelling in the
woods, but declined it ; and having continued on fhore till
one o’clock, we all re-imbarked in the beft order, without
any moleftation from the natives, who remained on the
beach till we were on board. M. de Bougainville had not
been fo fortunate at the IHe of Lepers ; the natives were very
friendly to appearance, till all his men were embarked 4
but a flight of arrows was then fent after them, and re-
F f 2 venged
J1U77L4a.r.