OCT. 1769 APPEARANCE OF THE NATIVES 187 



thin. This was raised by a board on each side, with a strip 

 of wood sewed over the seani to make it tight. On the 

 prow of every one was carved the head of a man with an 

 enormous tongue reaching out of his mouth. These gro- 

 tesque figures were generally very well executed; some 

 had eyes inlaid with something that shone very much. The 

 whole served to give us an idea of their taste, as well as 

 ingenuity in execution. It was certainly much superior 

 to anything we have yet seen. 



Their behaviour while on board showed every sign of 

 friendship. They invited us very cordially to come back 

 to our old bay, or to a small cove near it. I could not help 

 wishing that we had done so, but the captain chose rather 

 to stand on in search of a better harbour. God send that we 

 may not have the same tragedy to act over again as we so 

 lately perpetrated. The country is certainly divided into many 

 small principalities, so we cannot hope that an account of 

 our weapons and management of them can be conveyed as 

 far as we must in all probability go ; and of this I am well 

 convinced, that till these warlike people have severely felt 

 our superiority they will never behave to us in a friendly 

 manner. 



About an hour before sunset the canoes left us, and with 

 us three of their people, who were very desirous to have 

 gone with them, but were not permitted to return. What 

 their reason for so doing is we can only guess ; possibly they 

 may think that their being on board may induce us to 

 remain here till to-morrow, when they will return and 

 renew the traffic by which they find themselves so great 

 gamers. The three people were tolerably cheerful ; enter- 

 tained us with dancing and singing after their custom ; ate 

 their suppers and went to bed very quietly. 



1 2th. During last night the ship sailed some leagues, 

 which, as soon as the three men saw, they began to lament 

 and weep very much, and Tupia could with difficulty comfort 

 them. About seven o'clock two canoes appeared, one of 

 which contained an old man who seemed to be a chief, from 

 the fineness of his garment and patoo patoo, which was made 



