TO RADACK. 7 



shells. Their dress was different ; some had a 

 couple of fine mats tied round the body ; others 

 wore a braided belt, from which the fibres of grass 

 hung down to the feet, and covered them entirely. 

 We were most struck by their ear-holes, which mea- 

 sure more than three inches in diameter, in which 

 they wore green leaves rolled together : some had 

 placed in them such rolls of tortoise-shell. Each 

 boat had a commander, who was easily recognised, 

 as he did not row, and merely gave orders. He 

 is always seated on one side of the boat, with his 

 legs under him, on a raised seat, where he appears 

 with much decorum. One of these chiefs, a tall, 

 handsome man, with a thick beard, was more ta- 

 tooed than the rest ; he held in his hand a large 

 shell, from which he often produced a loud and 

 hollow sound. I do not know what was his motive 

 for doing this ; but I remember to have observed 

 such shells in the Marquesas islands, which were 

 never used but in war. 



After repeated signs of invitation, and shewing 

 them some iron, they consented to approach the 

 ships, but none of them would venture on board. 

 An animated barter began ; for small pieces of 

 old iron hoops, they readily gave the most la- 

 borious and skilful of their works ; and the leader 

 even gave his beautiful shell horn for a piece of old 

 iron, which he concealed in his belt, after having 

 looked at it with rapture. They dealt with great 

 honesty j and their character seemed to me lively 



B 4 



