118 Account of the Caroline Islands. 
we requested not to be incommoded by such a troop of children, 
they quitted us immediately, except a few persons for guides. No per- 
son appeared to have the least desire to know where we were going. 
At first, they manifested the greatest fright at the report of the gun; 
but they gradually became accustomed to it. Our guides, in taking 
us across the island, on finding that we were desirous of knowing the 
names of the different plants, and other objects which we met with, did 
not fail to give us their names, and this without our asking them. 
Their joy was very great on perceiving afterwards that by the aid of 
our notes, we retained the names. They would oblige us to undergo an 
examination, which occasioned the utmost glee, especially whenever 
we had fallen into any error. They were particularly delighted when 
we had learned to count as high as ten in their language. Those ob- 
jects in which we took the most interest, were explained to us with 
the greatest care, though unfortunately, we could not comprehend the 
details which they took the trouble to communicate; the useful or 
_ noxious properties of plants, the good or bad qualities of animals, 
were mentioned with the greatest eagerness, The various plants 
that I collected, were carried by them with all the care imaginable. 
They mounted the highest trees to gather for us the flowers, or 
threw themselves into the breakers to collect whatever they thought 
would be agreeable to us. They conducted us every where, and 
took care especially to lead us by the houses of the chiefs, who receiv- 
ed us with pleasure and regaled us with cocoa-nuts. 
We were surprised, notwithstanding the entire confidence they 
evinced in us, at not being permitted to see the females. We had 
perceived already that they were concealed from our view, and that 
we had even been obliged to shun in our excursions, the houses m 
which they lived. If by accident we happened to approach them, 
our guides employed all their power to turn us aside, by exclaiming 
the word farak! farak! which had the effect of obliging us to hold 
our ears. There was, nevertheless, in the manner they took to in- 
duce us to alter our course, so much of good nature, that it was im- 
possible to be provoked with them, although ney still kept up their 
interjections. 
We found every where the same people upon the other groups of 
the low islands, as those we visited at Lougounor; the same hospi- 
tality, the same good nature, and the same gayety. But in none of 
these groups did we observe the lascivious manners, which are sai 
to characterise, in general, the islands of the Pacific. The long 
