OF LA PEROUSE, lO^ 



arncd their commodities to a bcrter account 

 than at the market already edabliihed on the 

 coaft, where fcarcely any thing was purchafcd 

 but eatables, the j^rice of which never varied; 

 while on board, they frequently received a great 

 value for articles of fancy. Befides, thcfe ca- 

 noes carried on another traffic, ftill more par- 

 ticularly prohibited by the orders of Admiral 

 D'Entrecafteaux; but the fentinels not putting 

 them :trid:ly into execution, a number of young 

 girls eafily efcapcd their vigilance, and entered 

 every momer.t by the ports. 



On the 26th of March, we landed, very ear- 

 ly in the morning, on the neareft coaft, where 

 we had the pleafure to fee that thefe ifianders 

 are in pofTeflion of the fugar-canc. They of- 

 fered us fome very large ones, which we ac- 

 cepted, l^hcy fold us fcveral birds ; among 

 others, a charming fpecies of lory, v/hich they 

 alluri'd us ^"laJ been brought them from Fido-i ; 

 a be^uuiu'l fpecies of turtle-dove, remarkable 

 for a red f'^ot on the iicad, and which is known 

 by tiie name ot coUanl-a parpMrAta ; the fpecies 

 of rail, nan^.ed ralliis phi'i ppc-r:Jjs ; the pigeon 

 called coli'mhii pii:ijica^ ixLC Several of them had 

 lizards oi tlie i;^.ecies kr.own by the denomina- 

 tion oi uijcri.i a:;woi}ii}[jis, which they ojlcred 

 us as being very good to eat. 



T!i natives who fuliov/ed us, iiicommcded 



us 



