17&9- In the morning, however, before we could leave the fhip,
i---- feveral canoes came about us, moft of them from the weft-
Friday 14. an(j tWo Qf them were filled with people, who by their
drefs and deportment appeared to be of a fuperior rank: two-
of thefe came on board, and each fingled out his friend;
one of them-, whole name we found to be Mat ahas, fixed
upon Mr. Banks, and the other upon me: this ceremony
confiftedin taking off great part of their clothes and putting;
them upon us. In return for this, we prefented each of
them with, a hatchet and fome beads-. Soon after they made/
figns-for us to go with them to the places where they lived,,
pointing to the S. W. ;and as Lwas defirous of finding a more;
commodious harbour, and making farther, trial of the dif-
pofition of the people,. I eonfented.
I ordered out two boats, and with Mr. Banks and Dr. So—
lander, the other gentlemen,, and our two Indian friends,,
we embarked for our expedition. After rowing, about a=
league, they made figns that we fliould go on fhore,. and
gave us to underftand that this was the place of their refi-
dence, We accordingly landed, among feveral hundreds of
the natives, who condudted us into a houfeof much greater
length than any we had feen. When we entered, we faw a
middle-aged man, whofe name we afterwards difeovered to
be Tootahah ; mats were immediately fpread, and we were
defired to fit down over againft him. Soon after we were
feated, he ordered a cock and hen to be brought out, which
he prefented to Mr. Banks and me; we accepted the prefent,
and in a fhort time each of us received a piece o f cloth, perfumed
after their manner, by no means difagreeably, which
they took great pains to make us. remark. The piece prefented
to Mr. Banks was eleven yards long and two wide ; in
return for which, he gave a laced filk neckcloth, which he
happened to have on, and a linen pocket handkerchief:
3 Tootahah