THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 

 Tlie following day, while preparations were makin? for '777- 



" May. 



32y 



watering, I went afliore, in the forenoon, accompanied by 

 Captain Gierke, and fome of the Officers, to fix on a place 

 where the obfervatories might be fee up, and a guard be 

 ftationed ; the natives having readily given us leave. They 

 alfo accommodated us with a boat-houfe, to ferve as a tenr, 

 and fhewed us every other mark of civility. Toobou, the 

 Chief of the ifland, conducted me and Omai to his houfe. 

 We found it fituated on a pleafant fpot, in the centre of his 

 plantation. A fine grafs-plot furrounded it, which, he gave 

 tis to underftand, was for the purpofe of cleaning their feet, 

 befoie they went within doors. 1 had not, before, obferved 

 fuch an inftance of attention to cleanlinefs at any of the 

 places I had vifiied in this ocean ; but, afterward, found that 

 it was very common at the Friendly Iflands. The floor of 

 Toobou's houfe was covered with mats ; and no carpet, in 

 the moft elegant Englifh drawing-room, could be kept 

 neater. While we were on fhore, we procured a few hogs-, 

 and fome fruit, by bartering ; and, before we got on board 

 again, the fliips were crowded with the natives. Few of 

 them coming empty-handed, every necefiTary refrefliment 

 was now in the greateft plenty. 



I landed again in the afternoon, with a party of marines ■>■ 

 and, at the fame time, the horfes, and fuch of the cattle as 

 were in a weakly fiate, were fent on fliore. Every thincr 

 being fettled to my fatisfacflion, I returned to the fiiip at 

 funfet, leaving the command upon rhe ifland to Mr. King. 

 Taipa, who was now become our fall friend, and who 

 feemed to be the only a(5five perfon about us, in order to be 

 near our party in the night, as well as the day, had a houfe 

 brought, on men's flioulders, a full quarter of a mile, and 

 placed clofe to the fhed which our party occupied. 



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1" riday 



