THE PACIFIC OCEAN. tjx 



could perceive with our glafles, that feveral of the natives, 

 who appeared upon a fandy beach, were all armed v/ith 

 long fpears and clubs, which they brandiflied in the air 

 with figns of threatening, or, as forae on board interpreted 

 their attitudes, with invitations to land. Moll of them ap- 

 peared naked, except having a fort of girdle, which, being 

 brought up betvi^een the thighs, covered that part of the 

 body. But fome of them had pieces of cloth of different 

 colours, white, ftriped, or chequered, which they wore as 

 a garment, thrown about their Ihoulders. And almoll all 

 of them had a white wrapper about their heads, not much 

 tmlike a turban ; or, in fome inftances, like a high conical 

 cap. We could alfo perceive that they were of a tawny 

 colour, and in general of a middling llature, but robuft, 

 and inclining to corpulence. 



At this time, a fmall canoe was launched in a great 

 hurry from the further end of the beach, and a man get- 

 ting into it, put off, as with a view to reach the fliip. On 

 perceiving this, I brought to, that we might receive the 

 vilit; but the man's refolution failing, he foon returned 

 toward the beach, where, after fome time, another man 

 joined him in the canoe ; and then they both paddled to- 

 ward us. They llopt fiiort, hov^ever, as if afraid to ap- 

 proach, until Omai, who addrelTed them in the Otaheite 

 language, in fome meafure quieted their apprehenfions. 

 They then came near enough to take fome beads and nails, 

 which were tied to a piece of wood, and thrown into the 

 canoe. They feemed afraid to touch thefe things, and put 

 the piece of wood afide without untying them. This, how- 

 ever, might arife from fuperllition ; for Omai told us, that 

 when they faw us offering them prefents, they aflced fome- 

 thing for their Eatooa, or god. He alfo, perhaps impro- 



Z 2 ^ perly. 



March. 



