vi i.
dispensable article conld be depended npon. On a])proaching the cHAP.
island, with the ship, we were gratified by perceiving that the coral
chain, which to the northward was above water, and covered with trees,
Dec.
to the southward dipped beneath it; and though the reef could be
182.5.
traced by the light blue-coloured sea, still it might be sufficiently
covered to admit of the ship passing over it, and finding an anchorage
in the lagoon. As we were putting off from the ship in the boats to
make this interesting inquiry, several small vessels under sail were observed
bearing do5vn to us. YY’hen they approached we found they
were large katamarans or rafts, carrying from sixteen to twenty men
each. At first several of them were fastened together, and constituted
a large platform, capable of holding nearly a hundred persons ; but
before they came near enough to communicate they separated, furled
their sails, and took to their paddles, of which there were about tivelve
to each raft. W e were much pleased with the manner of loivering
their matting sail, diverging on different courses, and working their
paddles, in the use of which they had great power, and were well
skilled, plying them together, or, to use a nautical phrase, keeping
stroke. They had no other iveapons but long poles ; and were quite
naked, with the exception of a banana leaf cut into strips, and tied
about their loins, and one or two persons who wore white turbans.
Their timidity in approaching both the ship and the barge were immediately
apparent ; but they had no objection to any of the small
boats ; w hich they were probably aware they could, if necessary, easily
upset when within their reach ; and, indeed, it required considerable
caution to prevent such an occurrence, not from any malicious intention
on the part of the natives, but from their thoughtlessness and inquisitiveness.
I approached them in the gig, and gave them several presents,
for which they, in return, threw us some bundles of paste tied
up in large leaves. Not knowing at first what it was, I caught it in
my arras, and was overpowered with an odour that made me drop it
instantly. They made signs that it was to be eaten, and we afterwards
found it was the common food of the natives. It was what is called
mahie at the Marquesas, but with a higher gout than I ever heard that
article possessed in those islands, and very much resembled the first
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