Se p t1e7m74b*e r . without culture, and were perhaps indigenous wild trees of
the country. We likewife met with a new fpecies of paf-
fion-flower, which was chiefly extraordinary on this account,
that all its fpecies formerly known to the learned world
were confined to America. I feparated from my company
during this fearch, and came into a hollow fandy way,
which was hung with bindweeds and fweet-fcented Ihrubs
on both fides, and feemed to have been the bed of a torrent
or rivulet. It brought me to a group of two or
three huts, furrounded by coco-nut trees. Before one of
them I obferved a man feated with a little girl of eight
or ten years old on his lap, and examining her head.
He was fomewhat furprifed at fight of me, hut prefently
recovering his tranquillity, proceeded in his occupation. He
had a piece of fine tranfparent quartz in his hand, which
having a very {harp edge, he made ufe of inftead of fcifiars
to cut the girl’s hair. I made her a prefent of fome black
heads, and alfo gave him a few, with which he feemed
much pleafed. I now went on to the other huts, and
found two placed fo near together, as to inclofe an area of
about ten feet fquare, which was partly fhut in with a
fence. Here I found three womep, one middle-aged, and
the others fomewhat younger, who made a fire under one
of thofe large earthen pots which I have already mentioned.
As foon as they faw me, they made figns that I fhould leave
them ; however, being defirous to fee their method of cooking,
ing, I came in, and faw that they had fluffed the pot full September.
of dry grafies and green leaves, in which they had wrapped
up a few fmall yams. Thefe roots are therefore in a manner
baked in this pot, or undergo the fame operation which
the natives of Taheitee perform by burying them under a
heap of earth, among heated ftones. It was with difficulty
they would give me time to intrude fo fa r ; they repeated
their figns that I Ihould go away, and pointing to the huts,
moved their fingers feveral times under their throat; which
I interpreted, that if they were obferved to be thus alone
with a llranger, they would be choaked or killed. I left
them after they had made this gefture, and peeped into the
huts, which I found quite empty. Returning into the
wood, I met Dr. Sparrman ; and we went to the women
again, in order to look at their work once more, and to be
convinced whether I had properly interpreted their figns,
or whether they had only fome particular objection to my
appearance. We found them in the fame place, and walking
up to them, immediately made them a prefent of fome
beads, which they accepted with great expreffions of joy ;
but at the fame time they repeated the geftures which they
had made when I came alone, and looked at us as if they
would add entreaties to their figns, with which we immediately
complied, and retired. We met the reft of our
company fome time after, and being athirft, afked the man
who cut his daughter’s hair for a little water. He Ike wed
V ol. II. F f f us