August, place to feafon them. All the lkirts of the flat hill, where
we faw no habitation, are, as I have already obferved, well
flocked with immenfe numbers of wild coco-palms, and the
ground underneath them is covered with nuts, of which as
it lhould feem they take the trouble to colleft only an in-
confiderable quantity. Little bits of their cloth, which they
wear as fathes or belts, were fufpended on the bullies which
furrounded the green ; and the prefents which Paw-yangom
had received, among which was a laced hat, were placed in
the fame manner like fo many trophies. This was a convincing
proof to me of the general honefly of the people towards
each other. At Taheitee they are already obliged to
fufpend their geods to the roofs of their houfes, in order
to keep them out of the reach of thieves; but here they
are fafe on every bufh. It muft be obferved likewife, in
confirmation of this remark, that during our flay among the
people of Tanna, we had not a Angle inftanceof their Healing
the lead trifle from any one of our people. The natives
having obferved, that though we looked into their
huts, we did not attempt to do any hurt, to difplace or take
any thing, foon became more reconciled to our appearance,
and the boys, from fix to fourteen years, who had hitherto
kept aloof, ventured to come near, and fufFered us to feize
their hands. We diftributed medals with filk ribbons to
them, and gave them handkerchiefs of Taheitee cloth,
which entirely conciliated their affeftion, and banilhed referve
 V O Y A G E ROUND THÉ WORLD, 3 °S
ferve and the remains of apprehenfion. Diftruft and fuf- AuoutV.
picion, are not yet known to the b o y ; he is frank and ho-
neft, and thinks every body is like himfelf. We learnt all
their names, and preferved them in memory, and it can
hardly be thought how much this little artifice aflifted us
in gaining their good graces ; they were overjoyed that we
remembered them, and came running as often as we
called. Having fpent fome time with them, we got up to
return to the beach, and old Paw-yangom, who did not
care to go down, it being very near fun-fet, gave directions
to two or three young men to Ihew us the neareft path.
We took leave of him very heartily, and made fome addition
to the prefents he had already received. In our way
we told our conduftors, pointing to the coco-palms near the
beach, that we were dry, and fhould be glad to tafte fome
of them. Upon this they immediately led us into another
path, where a number of palms flood in the midft of the
plantation. From thence they took fome nuts, and pre-
fented them to us, which we interpreted as a mark of great
good-nature; but when we tailed the liquor, we found that
they had done us a particular kindnefs or civility, it being
infinitely more delicious than that of the nuts near the
beach. We now looked at the trees, and finding them in
very fine order, concluded that thofe below were wild ; but
thefe, planted and brought to perfection by the care of the
inhabitants. It is well known that by means of cultivation
Von. II. R r the