1769' ROUND THE WORLD. 49 



direction both from themselves and the strangers, 

 which was considered as the renunciation of weapons 

 in token of peace : they then walked briskly towards 

 their companions, who had halted at about fifty yards 

 behind them, and beckoned the gentlemen to follow, 

 which they did. They were received with many un- 

 couth signs of friendship ; and, in return, they dis- 

 tributed among them some beads- and ribbons, which 

 had been brought on shore for that purpose, and with 

 which they were greatly delighted. A mutual con- 

 fidence and good- will being thus produced, our parties 

 joined : the conversation, such as it was, became 

 general ; and three of them accompanied us back to 

 the ship. When they came on board, one of them, 

 whom we took to be a priest, performed much the 

 same ceremonies which M. Bougainville describes, 

 and supposes to be an exorcism. When he was in- 

 troduced into a new part of the ship, or when any 

 thing that he had not seen before caught his atten- 

 tion, he shouted with all his force for some minutes, 

 without directing his voice either to us or his com- 

 panions. 



They eat some bread and some beef, but not appa- 

 rently with much pleasure, though such part of what 

 was given them as they did not eat they took away 

 with them ; but they would not swallow a drop either 

 of wine or spirits : they put the glass to their lips, 

 but, having tasted the liquor, they returned it, with 

 strong expressions of disgust.. Curiosity seems to 

 be one of the few passions which distinguish men 

 from brutes ; and of this our guests appeared to have 

 very little. They went from one part of the ship to 

 another, and looked at the vast variety of new objects 

 that every moment presented themselves, without 

 any expression either of wonder or pleasure ; for the 

 vociferation of our exorcist seemed to be neither. 



After having been on board about two hours^ they 

 expressed a desire to go ashore. A boat was imme- 

 diately ordered, and Mr. Banks thought fit to accom- 



VOL. I. E 



