RADACK AND OTHER ISLANDS. 165 



in their character, as people confide among us, in 

 the protecting vigilance of the law. At their own 

 voluntary request we exchanged our names. When- 

 ever we appeared, the people came hospitably to 

 meet us, and presented us with cocoa-nuts. We 

 did not barter at Otdia, we made presents and re- 

 ceived them in return. Some appeared to take as 

 much pleasure in giving as ourselves, and, with 

 great delicacy, brought us presents when none 

 could be expected in return. Others behaved with 

 more regard to self-interest. Where unheard-of 

 ev^ents bring on relations never thought of before 

 and custom is silent, the real character of men 

 must show itself without disguise. The women 

 conducted themselves with modesty and reserve, 

 they retired when they first saw us, and appeared 

 only under the protection of the men. In return for 

 our small presents of rings, and glass beads, which 

 they seemed to value less than odorous splinters of 

 the wood of English black lead pencils, they pre- 

 sented us, in a graceful manner, with the ornaments 

 which they then wore, their shell and flower wreaths. 

 No woman of Radack ever came on board our ship. 

 Everywhere we met the picture of peace among 

 an infant people j we saw new plantations, advan- 

 cing cultivation, many children growing up, with a 

 small population ; the affectionate attention of the 

 fathers for their offspring, pleasing unaffected 

 manners, equality in the intercourse between 

 chiefs and other men, no servility to the more 



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