M*7a74*?..
and ay 29,
though wfe had feen a great deal, he would tell us o f an
ifland which we had not met with itl our voyages. “ It
lies,” faid he, “ but a few days fail from hence, but it is in->
habited by a monftrous race of giants, as tall as the main-
maft, and as thick about the middle as the drum-head o f
the capftan. They are very good-natured people, but if
they are ever incenfed againft any body, they take him up,,
and throw him as far into the fea as I would throw a ftone.
i f you fhould happen to come there with your fliip, they
would perhaps wade up to it, and carry it a Chore on their
backs.” He added feveral other ludicrous circumftances, and1
concluded with telling us the name of the ifland, Mirro-mirro,
in order to give greater weight to his aflertion. It appeared
evidently to us, that his whole ftony was a fine piece of
irony, directed againft thofe parts of our narrative which he
did not believe, and of which he could have no conception.
We admired the witty humour which was fo confpicuous,
in this little flight of fancy, and with M. de Bougainville-
looked up to its great fource, the affluence of the country,,
which produces contentment and pleafure *.
During the next night foitae of the natives ftole the
rudders, grapnels, and boat-hooks belonging to our boats,
which were fattened to the buoy. As foon as this theft;
was difcovered in the morning, the captain acquainted Orea-
* See his Voyage round the World,. Englift ed„ p . ' j j , , .
■ with,
with it, who immediately.embarked with him in a boat, may..
and rowed feveral miles to the Southward. In about an
hour’s time they landed, and almoft all the ftolen articles
being returned to our people, they came back to the Chip-
entirely fadsfied. I had been on fhore in the creek during
this time, and faw a heeva, or dance, performed by two
little girls ; but their drefs was not fo grand, and their
addon much inferior to that of Poyadua. The tamow, or
head-drefs of plaited hair,, was not laid like a turban, but
formed feveral large locks, which had a pretty effedf, and.
refem'bled in feme meafure the high heads of our modern
ladies.
In the afternoon Poyadua performed a dance ; and as if-
fhe meant 'to outfhine the-other aclrellcs, Ihe had ornamented
her drefs more than ufual, and wore a great quantity
of various forts of European beads. Her wonderful;
agility, the graceful motion of her arms, and the quick,
vibration of her fingers, were as much admired there by.
the natives, as we applaud them in our dancers ; and iince
all thefe accomplifhments are taught in the South Sea.
iflands by nature only, it muft be confefled that Poyadua*.
deferved the encomiums which all the fpeftators bellowed
upon her. The inhabitants were particularly-
delighted with the extraordinary contortions into which Ihe-
fcrewed her mouth ; though we were fo little of their mind,,
that we could not help thinking them horridly frightful:
Thee