OF LA PEROUSE. 167 



from inquietude refpecfling the hoflile inten- 

 tions of fome of the iflanders towards us. They 

 communicated to us their fears, and per- 

 fuaded us to return on board before the clofe of 

 the day, undoubtedly becaufe they had not fuf- 

 ficientauthority toreflraintheir vindictive fpirit. 



Wc difcovered, on the approach of night, 

 tliat our rudder chains had been ftolen. 



On the 6th of April, we remarked on fhore 

 a great many young girls, who had had their 

 hair cut of the length of a third of a decime- 

 ter, except a circle round the head ; they had 

 afterwards powdered it with lime, in the inten- 

 tion, as they told us, of making it turn light. 

 We faw feveral others, whofe hair was already 

 of that colour. 



Moil of them were incefTantly alking us for 

 rings and glafs-beads, with which they deco- 

 rated themfelves as foon as they had received 

 th.cm. Tiiey always accompanied their requeft 

 with a gracious fmile ; and they at the fame 

 time inclined their heads, placing one of their 

 hands on their breaft, as may be i^een in Puite 



XXX. Ficr. I. 



o 



Titifci brour{ht us fome nutmep-s, the nuts of 

 which were tolerably round, and twice as big as 

 thofe of tlic cultivated nutmeg-tree, but they 

 were not fo aromatic; their green llicll v,as 

 covered with a pretty thick down. The na- 

 M 4 rives, 



