178 COOK & VOYAGE TO JAN. 



the manner of the other islands. These people were 

 of a brown colour ; and, though of the common size, 

 were stoutly made. There was little difference in 

 the cast of their colour, but a considerable variation 

 in their features ; some of their visages not being very 

 unlike those of Europeans. The hair of most of them 

 was cropt pretty short; others had it flowing loose; 

 and, with a few, it was tied in a bunch on the crown 

 of the head. In all, it seemed to be naturally black ; 

 but most of them had stained it, as is the practice of 

 the Friendly Islanders, with some stuff which gave it 

 a brown or burnt colour. In general they wore 

 their beards. They had no ornaments about their 

 persons, nor did we observe that their ears were 

 perforated ; but some were punctured on the hands, 

 or near the groin, though in a small degree ; and the 

 bits of cloth which they wore, were curiously stained 

 with red, black, and white colours. They seemed very 

 mild ; and had no arms of any kind, if we except some 

 small stones, which they had evidently brought for 

 their own defence ; and these they threw overboard, 

 when they found that they were not wanted. 



Seeing no signs of an anchoring place at this 

 eastern extreme of the island, I bore away to lee- 

 ward, and ranged along the south east side, at the 

 distance of half a league from the shore. As soon as 

 we made sail, the canoes left us ; but others came off, 

 as we proceeded along the coast, bringing with them 

 roasting pigs, and some very fine potatoes, which they 

 exchanged, as the others had done, for whatever was 

 offered to them. Several small pigs were purchased 

 for a sixpenny nail ; so that we again found ourselves 

 in a land of plenty ; and just at the time when the 

 turtle, which we had so fortunately procured at Christ- 

 mas Island, were nearly expended. We passed several 

 villages ; some seated near the sea, and others farther 

 up the country. The inhabitants of all of them 

 crowded to the shore, and collected themselves on 

 the elevated places to view the ships. The land 



