278 A NATIVE CHIEF. 
Eige-ea Eige, and hastened to give place to the 
new-comers. The canoe, rowed by ten men, 
large and elegantly embellished with muscle 
shells, soon approached us. The heads of the 
rowers and of the steersman were decorated 
with green boughs, probably in token of peace. 
In the fore part of the vessel, on a plat- 
form covered with matting, sat an elderly 
man cross-legged in the Asiatic fashion, hold- 
ing a green silk European parasol, which we 
conjectured must have belonged to one of 
the unfortunate companions of La Pérouse, 
and have been obtained by this chief from 
Maouna. His clothing consisted of a very 
finely plaited grass-mat, hanging like a mantle 
from his shoulders, and a girdle round his 
waist. His head was enveloped in a piece of 
white stuff, in the manner of a turban. He 
spoke a few words, accompanied by a motion 
of the hand, to his countrymen or subjects, who 
immediately made way for his canoe to come 
alongside ; and on our invitation he came on 
board attended by three persons. 
He was not tattooed, was about six feet 
high, thin, but vigorous and muscular. His 
