• 388 C A P T A I N C A R T E R E T ’S V O Y A G E
September £>' cxJon that we had fcen in thefe partsj with fine long black
• — ' ha>ri and little beards, for we obferved that they were con-
2S- tinually plucking the hair from their chin and upper lip by
the roots. Their features are pleafing, and their teeth remarkably
white and even: they were o f the common ftature,
but nimble, vigorous, and,a<Rive inra furprifing degree, running
up. to the mail-head much fafter than our own people.
Their difpofition was free and open, they eat and drank
whatever was given them, went without hefitation into
every part of the Ihip, and were as familiar and merry with
the crew, as i f they had been of long and intimate acquaintance.
They were not, like the people on all the other
iflands that we had valued,, quite naked, though they had.
only a Right covering for the waift, which confided o f a- nan-
iow piece of. fine.matting. Their canoes were very well and
neatly made,, having a hollow tree for the bottom, and
planks for the fides,, with a fail of fine matting, and an out-
Sgafj® their ropes and netting, were alfo very, good. They
urged us. ftrongly to go an fhorer offering, to leave an
equal number o f their, own. people, behind, as a pledge of
their fafe return and indeed I would gladly have confented
i f it had been in pay power, but a ftrong wefterly current
hurried me to fa great a diftance, that I had.no opportunity
to feek-far anchorage, and night coming on; we purfued
pur courfe.- When our vifitors perceived this, one o f them
infilled upon going with us, and, natwithftanding all that I;
and his companions could fay or do, obftinately rqfufed, tp
go on fhore. As I thought it paffible that this man might be
the means of our making fome ufeful difcovery,. I did not
put him afhore by force, but indulged him.in his .defire: we
learnt from him that there were other iflands to the. northj-
ward, the.inhabitants.of which he.laid had iron, and always,
killed;