1794- ftiould be obferved in our intercourfe with fuch ftrangers, unaccuftomed
eWry'. to our manners and way of life; becaufe it may Frequently happen, that-
the moft difaftrous-and fatal ■ corifequences may: arife from caufes the.
leaft to be apprehended, and in themfelves of the moft..ihnocent. nature.-
Notwithftanding that in the. inftance before us nothing uncomfortable
took place, yet I was firmly perfuaded that we were greatly indebted lor
our tranquillity, on this occafion, to the great refpecl and efteem which
our condud towards thefe people had previoufiy mfured us; ibutbhad
it unfortunately fo happened, that Tamaahmotoó- had died under the-ef-
fefls of the liquor to which his' comffiitutipn was; unufcd, arid ot which
he had drank inordinately,: our haying;-poiforied‘him would, have been
generally received as a.fh&; whence thé natives,.naturally. .concludingAat
we had been guilty of,the moft unwarrantable treachery, they-*oulflJw«e
been pardonabletiri feeking revenge;. and under fuchtnipreffions pugrt
rather to have.been confidered as: intitled to óur pity for-being rn.ftaken,
than to our refentment for any afts of injury which the nufuuderftamiing
miehthave occafioned, Ï , 1 , 1 n;
The convocation of-the principal chiefs of the ifl.and by theroyal mafo
date, failed not to affemble at the fame time moft of dieperfons o f confe,
quence of both fexes, who took up their refidence irirour immediate, neigh,
bourhood; which became fo populous,: that 'there was.fcarcely a place
where a temporary habitation could be erected that-remained unoccupted;
efpecially in theivicinity of the two principal villages of Kak.ooa and Kow-
rowa. Their numbers amounted now to feveral. thoufands, who e
cheerful good humour, eagernefs to oblige, and orderly, behaviour, could
not be furpaffed by the inhabitants .of the m o f t :.civilized' count ry,The
days paffed pleafantly to thofe who devoted them to innocent amufo
ments and profitably to others who were engaged in bartering, away the
merchandize they had brought, to exchange for our more valuable commodities';
whilft thofe of our fociety .who extended: their; recreation .on
Ihore, beyond the limits of the bay, were received with, the. greateft. hoft
pitality, and entertained with the general amufemepts :o f the country•.;
which rendered 'thefe: excurfions not left interefting than contributory to
h The evenings were generally doled with fmging and dancing, and the
° nights
hights were as quiet as the moft orderly, towns in Europe.; though it was
a late hour moft commonly before-they retired to: reft. TheTpace be- «----
iweeri fun-fet and that time was employed by feme parties- m foetal com
verfation, and by others at various games of chance; and I did not o -
ferve a ftngle inftance in which thefe were conduded, even by the lolers,
but with the greateft temper and. good humour.
Defirous of being conftantly upon the fpot, left any untoward circum-
ftance (hould arife to interrupt the happinefs we enjoyed, my excurhons
were confined to a fmall diftance from our encampment. This however
did not preclude my attending forne of their evening amufements m.Our
neighbourhood. ' Atone of which; in particular, Iwas very well entertained.
' •, H ■ . ' - M ■' ■ ' '51 ‘
This was a performance by a fingle young woman of the name ot
Puckoo, whofe perfon and manners were both very agreeable., Her
drefs, notwithftanding the heat of the weather, confifted, of an immenfe
quantity of thin cloth, which was wiound round, her waift, and extended
as.low as her knees. This was plaited,in; fuch a- manner as to give a
pretty effed to the variegated pattern of the cloth;;and was otherways
difpofed with great ,tafte.: H e r : head arid. neck • were decorated with
wreaths of black,: red;:'arid .yellow feathers ;.but excepting thefe lhe wore
no dreft from the Waift upwards. : Her ancles, and nearly half Way up
hér <iegs iwere decorated'with feyeral folds' o f cloth, widening upwards,
fo that the upper .parts extended, from the leg at leaft four inches all
round; this' .was .eoconjpaflcd by a piece of net work, wrought very
clofe, 'from the mclkes of which were hung the fmall teeth of dogs, giving
this part of her, dréfs the appearance of an ornamented funnel. On
her wrifts flic wore bracelets made of the tulks from the largeft hogs.
Thefe were highly polilhed and fixed clofe together in a ring, the
concave fidé's of thè tufks being, outwards V and their ends reduced to a
uniform length,'curving naturally each way from the center, were by no
means deftitute of ornamental effefft. '. '
Thus equipped, her appearance on the ftage, before (he uttered a fingle
word, excited corifiderable applaufe from the numerous fpeftators,
who obferved the greateft . good order and decorum. In her performance,
which was in ' the open air, lhe was accompanied by two men,
who