NATIVES OF THE CALVADOS. 247 



spectively the maximum and minimum temperature 

 re^stered on board. 



We were frequently visited by canoes from tlie 

 Calvados Islands. The parties of natives usually 

 landed on one of the adjacent Duch^teau Islands 

 before communicating' with the ship, and sometimes 

 passed the night there before returning on the fol- 

 lowing morning. They brought with them cocoa- 

 nutSj yams, and various other articles to barter with ; 

 among- these were some productions of the country 

 which I had not previously seen — Indian corn, 

 ginger, and sugar-cane. The canoes were of the 

 common description, with the exception of one of 

 larg-e size, closed at the bow and stern, with a high 

 peak at each end, a standing mast, large oval sail, 

 and the platform entirely covered over.* Few addi- 

 tional observations upon the natives were made here. 

 On one occasion I procured a few words of their 

 language, all of which, with one doubtful exception, 

 are similar to those formerly obtained at Brierly 

 Island. At another time we saw squatted down in 

 a canoe alongside, with foui' men in it, two female 

 children about three years of age, quite naked, with 

 their hair twisted into long yarn-like strands falling 

 over the shoulder j one of the two was a plump, 

 laughing, intelhgent creature, with fine features, 

 great black eyes, and long silky eye-lashea. 



At this place we had the misfortune to lose by 

 death our carpenter, Mr. Raymond. His remains 



* This is the canoe figured on p. 206. 



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