o f the coaft, elevated like an amphitheatre, offered them the moil enchanting
profpeit.
p. 217. The next day they anchored in a road within the reef, in 34 fathom, with a
bottom of grey fand, ihells, and gravel. As they drew near the (hore, the number
of iflanders furrounding the ihips increafed. The periaguas were fo numerous
about them, that they had much-a-do to warp in. All the natives kept continually
crying out tayo, which means friend; giving at the fame time a thou-
p. 2x8. fand iigns of friendffiip, and aiking for nails and ear-rings. Many of the
periaguas were full of females, mod of whom were naked, and who, for
agreeable features and beauty of perfon, might vie with the fineft of the European
women. Thefe were offered by the men of the ifland in a manner that
admited of no mifconftrudtion, to the fervice of their, new vifitors.
p. 220. As foon as the ihips were moored, Monfieur Bougainville went aihore, accompanied
by feveral of his officers. An immenfe croud of men and women received
them there, and could not be tired with looking at them. Some of the boldeft
ventured to touch them, and even pufhed afide their clothes, as i f to fee
whether they were formed exadtly like themfelves. The natives were all unarmed
;. and, unlike the reception they at firft gave Captain Wallis, expreifed
great joy at their arrival. The Chief of this diftridt condudted them to his
houfe, where they found five or fix women, and a venerable old man. The
women faluted them by laying their hands on their breafts, and faying, feveral
times, tayo. The old man was the father of the Chief. He had no other
charadter of old age than that refpedtable one which is imprinted on a fine
figure: his head was adorned with white hair; he had a long beard; all his body
was nervous and flefhy, and he had neither wrinkles, nor ihewed any marks of
p. 22i. decrepitude. This venerable man, inflead of fharing in the raptures enjoyed
by the reft on this occafion, fcemed rather to be difpleafed with their arrival,
and retired without anfwering their civilities.
p. 22a. The Chief then propofed that they ihould fit down upon the grafs, before
his houfe, where he ordered fome fruit, broiled fiffi, and water, to be fet
before them; after which he prefented them with fome pieces-of cloth,, and
put on them fome of the ornaments of the country; but during their ftay a piftol
was ftolen out of the pocket o f one of the officers. They were accompanied to-
their boats by the Chief and all his people. When they were almoft come to the
beach, they were Hopped by an iflander of a fine figure, who, lying under a
tree, invited them to fit down by him on the grafs. They accepted his offer.
He then leaned towards them, and with a tender air, ilowly fung a fong, to
the found of a flute, which another Indian blew with his hofe. Four of the
Iflanders went with great confidence to fup and fleep on board, where they
were entertained with mufic of different inftruments, and with fire-works;.
a fight which caufed a mixture of furprize and horror in them.
On the 7th, the Chief they had vifited, whofe name was Ereti, came on
board. He brought with him a hog, fome fowls, and the piftol which had
been ftolen at his houfe the day before. An adt of juftice that gave them a
good opinion of him. The fame day, after fome obftrudtions from Ereti’s
father, and fome of the principal people of the diftridt, they were fuffered to
form a camp, and bring their fick, which were twelve from the B'oudeufe
and twenty-two from the Etoile, aihore attended by a guard-. Hither the
natives, from all fides, brought fowls, hogs, fiffi, and pieces of cloth, which
they exchanged for nails, tools, beads, buttons, and numberleis other trifles,,
which were treafures to thefe people.
All their tranfadlions were carried on with the natives in as friendly a manner
as poffible, if thieving be excepted. Though it does not appear that Healing
is ufual among themfelves, nothing being ffiut up in their houfes„ yet,; during
the two firft nights, feveral things were ftolen, notwithftanding the guards
and patroles; probably their euriofity for new objedls might, excite defires in
them which they were not able to withftand.
The crews of the ffiips were daily walking about the country.,, without arms,,
either quite alone, or in fmall companies. They were invited to enter the houfes,
where the inhabitants offered them refreffiment; nor did their civility Hop here;,
for after the collation, their hofts offered them young girls.