NOMAHANNA S ATTENTIONS. 223 



my coming, stated that he had sent orders to 

 Chinau to supply my ship with the best provi 

 sions, and added, that having happily con 

 cluded the expedition, he should soon return 

 to Hanaruro. 



Meanwhile, ! -we had no cause to complain of 

 our situation : every thing was to be had for 

 money ; and Nomahanna overwhelmed us with 

 presents of fat hogs and the finest fish, put 

 ting all the fishermen into requisition to pro 

 vide abundantly for our table. We had all 

 reason to be grateful for her attention and kind 

 ness, and are all therefore ready to maintain 

 that she is not only the cleverest and the most 

 learned, but also the best woman in Wahu, as 

 indeed she is considered both by the natives 

 and settlers. But I can also bear testimony to 

 another qualification, of equal importance in her 

 estimation she has certainly the greatest ap 

 petite that ever came under my observation. I 

 usually visited her in the morningj and was 

 in the habit of finding her extended at full 

 length upon the floor, employed in inditing her 

 letter to me, which appeared to occasion her 

 many a head-ache. Once, however, I called 



