60 FROM THE SANDWICH ISLANDS 



from the island, and we soon recognized Rarick, 

 who, while still at a distance, called out to us 

 Aidara ! He was very richly adorned to day with 

 flowers, and shell-wreaths ; he wore various orna- 

 ments round his neck, and his body was wrapped 

 in a new mat. His boat approached our ship, into 

 which he got without hesitating, to our great 

 astonishment, and two of his companions, encou- 

 raged by his example, followed him. It would 

 be vain for me to attempt to describe the first mo- 

 ment they got on board ; they stood as if petrified,, 

 their sparkling eyes wandering on all the objects 

 around them : they would not have moved a step 

 had not I taken hold of Rarick by the hand, and 

 led him about. He recovered by degrees from his 

 astonishment, and was as if re-animated j so active, 

 so inquisitive, and childish, as I had never seen him 

 before. He ran from one object to another, felt 

 it with both his hands, asked its use, never waited 

 for an answer, but flew to something else. He did 

 not dwell a moment on one subject ; too many 

 things attracted his attention ; curiosity and fear 

 alternated in his features. He leaped about on 

 the deck like a madman, sometimes laughed with- 

 all his might ; full of astonishment, he would some- 

 times call out O — h I and when he was par- 

 ticularly struck with any thing, cried out Ert^io ! 

 JErrio ! Ca word which I often heard on such occa- 

 sions). His companions, likewise, took a lively 

 interest in every thing, but did not venture to ex^ 



