fond of variety, and did not fix on any particular article; but tin
kettles and pewter bafons feemed to have the preference to any
thing we could fhewthem.
In one of the canoes was an old man, who appeared to have
fome authority over the reft, though he had nothing to difpofe o f :
he gave us to underftand, that in another part of thefe iflands,
(pointing to the Eaftward) he could procure plenty of furs for us,
on which Captain Dixon gave him a light horfeman’s cap.: this
prefent added greatly to his confequence, and procured him the
envy of his companions in the other canoes, who beheld the cap
with a longing eye, and feemed to \yi(h it in their pofleflion.
There vyere likewife a few women amongft them, who all feemed
pretty well advanced in years; their under lips were diftorted in
the farne manner as thofe of the women at Port Mulgrave, and
Norfolk Sound, and the pieces of wood were particularly large.
One. o f thefe lip-pieces appearing to be peculiarly ornamented,
Captain Dixon wifhed to purchafe it, and offered the: old woman
to whom it belonged a hatchet; but this fhe refufed with contempt;
toes, bafons, and feveral other articles were afterwards
fbewn toher, and as conftantly'rejefted. Our Captain began now
to defpair of making his wilhed-for purchafe, and had nearly given
it up, when one of our people happening to ftiew the old lady a few
buttons, which looked remarkably bright, fhe eagerly embraced
the offer, and was now altogether as ready to part with her wooden
ornament, as before Ihe was delirous of keeping it. This curious
lip-piece meafured three and feven-eighth inches long, and two and
five-eighth inches in the wideft part: it was inlaid with a fmall
pearly {hell, round which was a rim of copper.*
Thefe
* This lip-piece is now in the pofleflion of Sir Jofeph Banks, Bart.