174< FROM CONCEPTION BAY 



people, and a large boat on the beach, which we 

 soon after saw advancing towards us under full 

 sail. I immediately ordered to lay-to, admired 

 the ingenious construction of it; and the surprising 

 skill with which it was managed, increased our 

 curiosity still more, and made us believe that we 

 had to do wdth a people only half savage. The 

 boat approached the Rurick within a hundred 

 fathoms, where it remained stationary. We counted 

 nine islanders, who showed us fruit, and called 

 aloud to us, and gave us to understand, by signs, 

 that we might follow them to the shore, where 

 they would provide us with fruit. The modest 

 and agreeable manners of these islanders, which 

 differed so entirely from the savage behaviour of 

 those of the Penrhyns, astonished us greatly, as 

 we could not expect to find this in the South Sea, 

 in an island that had never been visited. They 

 were all unarmed, and the strictest subordination 

 was evident : the chief sat on the leftside with his 

 legs under him, on an elevation, placed on the out- 

 rigger, which was ornamented with coloured mats, 

 having his head adorned with flowers and shell- 

 wreaths. They admired the ship with curiosity 

 and astonishment, pointing with their fingers at 

 objects which struck them particularly, and 

 talking with great eagerness. As I perceived 

 that all my endeavours to entice them on 

 board were useless, I ordered the boat to be 

 launched, in the hope that they would be less 



