17^9. ROUND THE WORLD. 127 



and having laid three pieces one upon another, the 

 foremost of the women, who seemed to be the prin- 

 cipal, and who was called Oorattooa, stepped upon 

 them, and taking up her garments all round her to 

 the waist, turned about, with great composure and 

 deliberation, and with an air of perfect innocence 

 and simpHcity, three times ; when this was done, she 

 dropped the veil, and stepping off the cloth, three 

 more pieces were laid on, and she repeated the ce- 

 remony, then stepping off as before, the last three 

 were laid on, and the ceremony was repeated 

 in the same manner the third time. Immedi- 

 ately after this the cloth was rolled up, and given 

 to Mr. Banks as a present from the lady, who, with 

 her friend, came up and saluted him. He made such 

 presents to them both, as he thought would be most 

 acceptable, and after having staid about an hour they 

 went away. In the evening the Gentlemen at the 

 fort had a visit from Oberea, and her favourite fe- 

 male attendant, whose name was Otheothra, an 

 agreeable girl, whom they were the more pleased to 

 see, because, having been some days absent, it had 

 been reported she was either sick or dead. 



On the 13th, the market being over about ten 

 o'clock, Mr. Banks walked into the woods with his 

 gun, as he generally did, for the benefit of the shade 

 in the heat of the day : as he was returning back, 

 he met Tubourai Tamaide, near his occasional dwel- 

 ling, and stopping to spend a little time with him, he 

 suddenly took the gun out of Mr. Banks's hand, 

 cocked it, and, holding it up in the air, drew the 

 trigger : fortunately for him it flashed in the pan : 

 Mr. Banks immediately took it from him, not a little 

 surprised how he had acquired sufficient knowledge 

 of a gun to discharge it, and reproved him with great 

 severity for what he had done. As it was of infinite 

 importance to keep the Indians totally ignorant of 

 the management of fire-arms, he had taken every op- 

 portunity of intimating that they could never offend 



