THE PACIFIC OCEAN. f^7 



over the rugged rocks, to the beach, where feveral of the ^777- 



others met us, holding the green boughs, of a fpecies of ' . — ' 



Mimofa, in their hands, and faluted us by applying their 

 nofes to ours. 



. We were conducT:ed from the beach by our guides, 

 amidft a great crowd of people, who flocked with very 

 eager curiolity to look at us ; and would have prevented our 

 proceeding, had not fome men, who feemed to have au- 

 thority, dealt blows, with little diflinclion, amongft them, to 

 keep them off. We were then led up an avenue of cocoa- 

 palms ; and foon came to a number of men, arranged in 

 two rows, armed with clubs, which they held on their 

 flioulders, much in the manner we reft a mufquet. After 

 walking a little way amongft thefe, we found a perfou 

 ■who feemed a Chief, fitting on the ground crofs-legged, 

 cooling himfelf with a fort of triangular fan, made from 

 a leaf of the cocoa-palm, with a polifhed handle, of 

 black wood, fixed to one corner. In his ears were large 

 bunches of beautiful red feathers, which pointed forward. 

 But he had no other mark, or ornament, to diftinguifli him 

 from the reft of the people ; though they all obeyed him 

 with the greateft alacrity. He either naturally had, or at 

 this time put on, a ferious, but not fevere countenance ; and 

 we were deftred to falute him as he fat, by fome people 

 who feemed of confequence. 



We proceeded ftill amongft the men armed with clubs, 

 and came to a fecond Chief, who fat fanning himfelf, and 

 ornamented as the firft. He was remarkable for his fize, 

 and uncommon corpulence, though, to appearance, not 

 above thirty years of age. In the fame manner, we were 

 conducted to a third Chief, who feemed older than the two 



B b 2 former, 



