THE ST. LAWRENCE ISLANDS. 97 



the rope fell into the water, and one of the island- 

 ers instantly leaped in, seized it, and swam to the 

 boat, to which he fastened it. After this work 

 was finished, during which many compliments 

 passed between us, two savages came on board, 

 one of whom I recognized to be the chief by his 

 distinguished ornaments. His head was adorned 

 with white feathers, besides an enormous wreath 

 of flowers ; Iiis neck with several skilfully wrought 

 bones, and his body wrapped up in finely-braided 

 mats. He was a handsome man, tall and robust, 

 and his whole figure was very prepossessing. As 

 soon as he came on board, his first care was to be 

 acquainted with the Tamon : and when I was in* 

 troduced to him, he came up to me, presented me 

 with a cocoa-nut, and placed his elegant wreath 

 on my head, pronouncing the word Aidara^ which 

 he frequently repeated. Upon this he told me, 

 that he also was a Tamon of the island of Torua, 

 lying to the east, where I might visit him. That 

 I might entirely conciliate his confidence, I of- 

 fered to change names, a proposal which was favour- 

 ably received ; with expressions of the greatest 

 joy it was announced, that their Tamon was called 

 Totabii, and I Lahadeny. No friendship can here 

 be permanent without presents : I therefore gave a 

 solid basis to this newly-concluded alliance, by 

 various iron articles, which my name-sake joyfully 

 received, but did not give them to his treasurer 

 till he had sufiiciently feasted his eyes with them. 



VOL. II. H 



