H é
commonly eight or nine. The infide of thefe houfes was
always filled with large roots of yams, which feem to be the
chief fupport of the natives. To lleep upon them muft be
extremely uncomfortable; and yet a few mats are only
fpread over them at night, which cuftom has made acceptable
to thefe people. Thofe narrow little ftools, on
which the Taheitians reft the head, are extremely frequent
here, and ferve the fame purpofe.. We alfo obferved feveral
open fheds, on a few polls, like fome which we had feen at
Tonga-Tabboo. Thefe were laid out with mats, and feemed
to be intended for their abode in the day-time. In our
ramble we palled by a number of thefe habitations, but faw
very few inhabitants, they being moftly at the trading
place. Thofe whom we met were always very civil, and
bowed their heads, faying, lelei (good), woa (friend), or fome
fuch word, to mark their good temper and difpofition.
They were our conductors; they brought us flowers from
the higheft trees, and birds out of the water ; they often
pointed out the fineft plants to us, and taught us their
names ; we needed only to fhew them a plant, of which we
wifhed to have fpecimens, and they would go to any
diftance to procure it. Coco-nuts and {haddocks they
readily offered to us ; and willingly carried great loads for
us ; a nail, a bead, or even a fmall rag of cloth, being con-
fidered as a valuable prefent in return. In a word, they
)ver,e on all occafions ready to oblige u,s.
In
H» I Jill ' '
In the courfe of our walk we found a large lake or la- j
eoon of falt-water, at the north end of the ifland, which at
O
one place reached within a few yards of the fea. It was
about three miles long, and one wide. Three little iflands
full of trees, arranged in the moft piaurefque manner,
ferved to ornament this fine piece of water, of which the
fhores alfo captivated the eye by their variety and beauty.
The inverted landfcape on the water, rendered this feene ftill
more beautiful', efpecially as our point of view was an
eminence, where many tall trees and thick fhrubberies
fereened us from the fun.
No ifland, which we had hitherto vifited, had offered fo>
great variety of views to us in fo fmall a fpace ; nay, we
had no where found fuch abundance of beautiful flowers,
fo agreeably contrafting their various tints, and mingling-
their fweet feents to perfume the air. The lake was full of
wild-ducks, and the woods and fhores abounded with
pigeons, parroquets, rails, and fmall birds, which the
natives brought for fale.
At noon we returned to the trading place, where captain-
Cook had purchafed a great quantity of fruit and roots, a»
few fowls, and one or two fmall pigs. When we arrived on-
board, we found they had been equally fuccefsful there in.
the purchafe of provifions. The whole poop was loaded;
with (haddocks, which we found a moft delicious fruit, oft
excellent flavour; and of yams we had laid in fuch a- quantity^