OP La perousr. 2S7 



Prefently anothc canoe appeared near the 

 vveflernmoO: ifland ; (lie was much larger than 

 the former ; ihe carried a fail nearly fquare, 

 which was immediately fprcad, and Hie foon 

 overtook our fhip ; but it was in vain that we 

 folicited the people in her to come alongfide. 

 Shortly afit.T, they went away towards the 

 Efperance, and as foon as they were at a little 

 diftance from that iliip, they threw the canoe 

 up in the wind, not choofmg to come any 

 nearer. Our two fliips were now lying to. 

 Citizen Legrand, wilhing to have a near view 

 of thefe iflanders, jumped overboard, and pre- 

 fently fwam to their canoe. We were informed 

 in the evening that this ofiicer had not perceived 

 any arms in their poiTeflion, and that notwith- 

 {landing they were twelve in number, they 

 had manifefted fome fear when they faw him 

 approaching tliem. 



It appears that they are unacquainted with 

 the ufe of iron, for they fet little value on that 

 which he offered them. 



Thefe iflanders were all naked, and not of a 

 very deep black colour. Their v/oolly hair 

 was ornamented with tufts of feathers ; they 

 had their belly tightened by a cord, which 

 went feveral times round it, in order no doubt 

 to ftrengthen the mufcles of the abdomen. 



Several 



