48 CAPTAIN COOK'S VOYAGES 



with good anchorage. They then went on shore, and pur- 

 chased some hogs and fowls, and a large quantity of yams 

 and plantains. 



This island appeared to be more barren than Ulietea, but 

 the produce was much the same. 



On the 29th, they sailed to the northward ; and in the 

 afternoon, finding themselves to windward of some harbours 

 that lay on the west side of Ulietea, they intended to put 

 into one of them, in order to stop a leak which they had 

 sprung in the powder room, and to take in some additional 

 ballast. 



On the 2nd of August they anchored in twenty-eight 

 fathoms water, in a convenient harbour. In the interim, 

 many of the natives came off, and brought hogs, fowls, 

 and plantains, which were purchased upon moderate terms. 



Mr. Banks and Dr. Solander now went on shore, and 

 spent the day agreeably ; the natives showing them great 

 respect. In one house they observed some young girls, 

 dressed in the neatest manner, waiting for the strangers to 

 accost them ; these girls were the most beautiful the 

 gentlemen had ever seen. 



Before their departure they were entertained with a dance, 

 different from any they had seen before. The performer put 

 upon his head a large piece of wicker work, about four feet 

 long, of a cylindrical form, covered with feathers, and edged 

 round with shark's teeth. Having this head-dress on, which 

 is called a Whou, he began to dance with a slow motion, 

 frequently moving his head so as to describe a circle with 

 the top of his wicker cap, and sometimes throwing it so 

 near the faces of the bystanders, as to make them jump 

 back ; this they considered as an excellent piece of humour ; 

 and it always produced a hearty laugh, when practised 

 upon any of the English gentlemen. 



On the 3rd, they saw another company of dancers, consist- 

 ing of some of the principal females of the island. They 

 advanced side-ways, keeping time, with great exactness, to 

 the drums, which beat quick and loud ; soon after, they 

 began to shake themselves in a very whimsical manner, and 

 put their bodies into a variety of strange postures ; some- 

 times standing in a row one behind another ; sometimes 

 sitting down ; and at others falling with their faces to the 

 ground, and resting on their knees and elbows, accompanied 

 with many other unbecoming attitudes ; moving their 

 fingers at the same time with a quickness scarcely to be 

 credited. 



On the 5th, some hogs and fowls, and several large pieces 

 of cloth, many of them being fifty or sixty yards in length, 

 together with a quantity of plantains and cocoa-nuts, were 



