>777- afpecf, refembling the natives of New Zealand; but fome
—v-—/ were fairer. They had ilrong black hair, which, in general,
they wore either hanging loofe about the fhoulders, or tied
in a bunch oh the crown of the head. Some, however, had
it cropped pretty ihort; and, in two or three of them, it
was of a brown, or reddifli colour. Their only covering
was a narrow piece of mat, wrapt feveral times round the
lower part of the body, and which paffed between the
thighs; but a fine cap of red feathers was feen lying in
one of the canoes. The fhell of a pearl-oyfter poliihed, and
hung about the neck, was the only ornamental faihion that
we obferved among!! them; for not one of them had adopted
that mode of ornament, fo generally prevalent among!! the
natives of this Ocean, of pundluring, or tatooing their bodies.
Though fingular in this, we had the moi! unequivocal
proofs of their being of the fame common race. Their
language approached ilill nearer to the dialed! of Otaheite,
than that of Wateeoo, or Mangeea. Like the inhabitants
of thefe two iilands, they inquired from whence our fhips
came; and whither bound; who was our Chief; the number
of our men on board; and even the Ihip’s name. And
they very readily anfwered fuch queftions as we propofed
to them. Among!! other things, they told us, they had feen
two great ihips, like ours, before; but that they had not
fpoken with them as . they failed pa!!. There can be no
doubt, that thefe were the Refolution and Adventure. We
learnt from them, that- the name o f their iiland is Te-
rouggemou Atooa; and that they were fubjedi to Teere-
vatooeah, king of Wateeoo*- According to the account
* The reader will obferve, that this name bears little affinity to any one o f the
names of the three Chiefs o f Wateeoo, as preferved by Mr. Anderfon.
that
that they gave, their articles o f food are cocoa-nuts, fifh,
and turtle; the iiland not producing plantains, or bread- v—
fruit; and being deftitute of hogs and dogs. Their canoes,
of which near thirty were, at one time, in fight, are pretty
large, and well built. In the conftrudtion of the flern, they
bear fome refemblance to thofe of Wateeoo; and the head
projedts out nearly in the fame manner; but the extremity
is turned up inilead of down.
Having but very little wind, it was one o’clock before we
drew near the North Wei! part of the iiland ; the only part
where there feemed to be any probability of finding anchorage
for our ihips, or a landing-place for our boats. In
this pofition, I fent Lieutenant King, with two armed boats,
to found and reconnoitre the coaft, while we ilood off and on
with the Chips. The inilant the boats were hoifted out, our
vifiters in the canoes, who had remained along-fide all the
while, bartering their little trifles, fufpended their traflic,
and, pufhing for the ihore as fait as they could, came near
us no more.
At three o’clock, the boats returned; and Mr. King informed
me, “ That there was no anchorage for the ihips;
and that the boats could only land on the outer edge of the
reef, which lay about a quarter of a mile from the dry
land. He faid, that a number of the natives came down
upon the reef, armed with long pikes and clubs, as i f they
intended to oppofe his landing. And yet, when he drew
near enough, they threw fome cocoa-nuts to our people,
and invited them to come on ihore ; though, at. the very
fame time, he obferved that the Women were very bufy
bringing down a freCh fupply of fpears and darts. But, as
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