OF I.A PEROUSE. 233 



jnu/cicapa genus-, they were attracted to thefc 

 foots by clouds of nuilkitocs, which leivcd 

 them as food. Farther on ue found two young 

 girls who had juft kindled a fire ; they were 

 roafting for iheir meal various forts of roots, 

 among which I obferved fevcral that belonged 

 to the plants I had met with under the (liade of 

 the large trees of the forefr. They for fomc 

 time abandoned their provilions^ and fled as ue 

 approached them. 



On coming out of the vvoods^ we met with 

 ieveral inhabitants, who accompanied us to our 

 anchor! ng-place. They were very much amufcd 

 at feeing Citizen Riche's dog run after fome 

 other favages, whom he very quickly overtook, 

 although they were a good way off and ran as 

 fdi\ as they could. As he did them no harm, 

 thofc who were with us begged us to fet him at 

 fome women that came out of the forefl:, and 

 they were enjoying beforehand their fright; 

 but we would not comply v/ith the v/ilhes of 

 thefe natives. 



On reaching the fea-fide, we ^vere witneffes 

 of a fact which befpeaks a great corruption of 

 morals among this nation of cannibals. It was 

 two 2,1 rls, the cldeil ot them about eighteen, 

 \\ii(3 were flievvnig to fome ot our people wliat 

 they are in the habit of cov<.ring with the 

 giidlc of fringe of which I have before fpokcn, 



and 



