1773. ROUND THE WORLD. 185 



ate much sweeter than if dressed in any of our 

 methods. The chief and his son, and some other of 

 his male friends, ate with us, and pieces were handed 

 to others who sat behind : for we had a vast crowd 

 about us ; so that it might be truly said we dined in 

 public. The chief never failed to drink his glass 

 of Madeira whenever it came to his turn, not only 

 now, but at all other times when he dined with us, 

 without ever being once affected by it. As soon as 

 w T e had dined, the boat's crew took the remainder ; 

 and by them, and those about them, the whole 

 was consumed. When w T e rose up, many of the com- 

 mon people rushed in, to pick up the crumbs which 

 had fallen, and for which they searched the leaves 

 very narrowly. This leads me to believe that, though 

 there is plenty of pork at these isles, but little falls to 

 their share. Some of our gentlemen being present 

 when these pigs were killed and dressed, observed 

 the chief to divide the entrails, lard, &c. into ten or 

 twelve equal parts, and serve it out to certain people. 

 Several daily attended the ships, and assisted the 

 butchers, for the sake of the entrails of the hogs w T e 

 killed. Probably little else falls to the share of the 

 common people. It, however, must be owned, that 

 they are exceedingly careful of every kind of pro- 

 vision, and waste nothing that can be eaten by man ; 

 flesh and fish especially. 



In the afternoon we were entertained with a play. 

 Plays, indeed, had been acted almost every day since 

 we had been here, either to entertain us, or for their 

 own amusement, or perhaps both. 



Next morning produced some circumstances which 

 fully prove the timorous disposition of these people. 

 We were surprised to find that none of them came 

 off to the ships as usual. Two men belonging to the 

 Adventure having stayed on shore all night, contrary 

 to orders, my first conjectures were, that the natives 

 had stripped them, and were now afraid to come 

 near us, lest we should take some step to revenge the 



