oaober company. At this houfe we were defired to flop, which we
— v— •> acordingly did, and were treated with fruit, 8tc.
We were no fooner feated in the houfe, than the eldeft of
the priefts began a fpeech or prayer, which was firfl: directed
to the Afiatouca, and then to me, and alternately. When he
addrefled me, he paufed at every fentence, till I gave a nod
of approbation. I, however, did not underftand one Angle
word he faid. At times, the old gentleman feemed to he at
a lofs what to fay ; or perhaps his memory failed him ; for,
every now and then, he was prompted by one of the other
priefts who fat by him. Both during this prayer and the former
one, the people were filent, but not attentive. At this
laft place we made but a fhort flay. Our guides conduced
us down to our boat, and we returned with Attago to our
fhip to dinner. We had no fooner got on board, than an old
gentleman came along-fide, who, I underftood from Attago,
was fome king or great man. He was, accordingly, ufhered
on board; when I prefented him with fuch things as he
moft valued (being the only method to make him my friend)
and feated him at table to dinner. We now faw that he was
a man of confequence ; for Attago would not fit down and
eat before him, but got to the other end of the table ; and, as
the old chief was almoft blind, he fat there, and eat with his
back towards him. After the old man had eaten a bit of fifh 1
and drank two glafles of wine, he returned afhore. As foon
as Attago had feen him out of the fhip, he came and took
his place at table, finifhed his dinner, and drank two glaifes
of wine. When dinner was over, we all went afhore, where
we found the old chief, who prefented me with a hog; and
he and fome others, took a walk with us into the country.
Before
Before we fet out, I happened to go down with Attatro '773-
to the landing-place, and there found Mr. Wales in a laugh- \__-
able, though diftrefled fituation. The boats which brought
us on fhore, not being able to get near the landing-place for
want of a fufficient depth of water; he pulled off his fhoes
and ftockings to walk through, and as foon as he got on
dry land, he put them down betwixt his legs to put on
again, but they were inftantly fnatched away by a perfon
behind him, who immediately mixed with the crowd. It
was impofiible for him to follow the man bare-footed over
the fharp coral rocks, which compofe the fhore, without
having his feet cut to pieces. The boat was put back to the
fhip, his companions had each made his way through the
crowd, and he left in this condition alone. Attago foon
found out the thief, recovered his fhoes and ftockings, and
fet him at liberty. Our route into the country, was by the
firfl; mentioned Afiatouca, before which we again feated our-
felves, but had no prayers although the old prieft was with
us. Our flay here was but fhort. The old chief probably
thinking that we might want water on board, conduced us
to a plantation hard by, and fhewed us a pool of frefh water,
though we had not made the leaft enquiry after any. I
believe; this to be the fame that Tafman calls the wajhing-
place for the king and his nobles.
From hence we were conducted down to the fhore of Maria
bay, or N. E. fide of the ifle; where, in a boat-houfe, was
fhewn to us a fine large double canoe not yet launched. The
old chief did not fail to make us fenfible it belonged to him-
felf. Night now approaching, we took leave of him, and
returned on board, being conducted by Attago down to the
water-fide.
D d a Mr.