OK LA PEROUSE. 29 



to US, without the ceremony of afking for any 

 thing more : we were therefore obliged to re- 

 fufe to gratify their wiflies ; but we faw with fa- 

 tisfadlion, that, without making the fmalleft 

 reliftance, they returned the articles which we 

 could not let them have. 



i had given them feveral things, without re- 

 quiring any thing from them. I wifhed, in my 

 turn, to obtain the Ikin of a kang.iroo, at a 

 time when among the favages who furround- 

 ed us there was only a young girl thct had one. 

 No fooner had I propofed to her to give it to 

 me in exchange for a pair of pantaloons, than 

 flie ran away, and hid herfelf in the voods. The 

 The other natives appeared really hurt at this 

 rcfufal. Thefe good people interceded forme 

 with this vou ncr oirl and called her feveral 

 times. At length ilie yielded to their felicita- 

 tions, and approached to deliver nie the fkin- 

 Perhaps it v/as only through timidity that fhe 

 had made any dirnculty in parting vith this fort 

 of clothing. In return, Ihe obtained a pair of 

 pantaloons, which, according to the fafliion 

 of thefe l:\dies, was far lefs ufeful to her than 

 this Vi\\n, which ferved to cover h(r fnouldcrs. 

 We fliev, cd her the ufe of them : but lor that 

 purpofe we were neccfilirily obligeJ to pur them 

 on her ourfelves : (he confented to tliis with the 

 befl grace in the world, leaning loth her hands 



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