CHAPTER VII. 



EETTMER ISLANDS — CATA1IAEAJ«"S AND CANOES— PEIENDLT 

 EBLATIONS WITH THE NATITES Or IfEW GUINEA — AEE 

 WELL BEOEITED AT THEIB TILLAGE — TATOOING AND 

 DEESS OE THE WOMEN — THE HITTS DESCBIBED — LAKGE 

 CANOE EEOM THE MAINLAND— TASSAI LADIES EETITEN 

 OUE TISIT — THE NATITES DESCEIBED — THEIB WEAPONS, 

 OBNAMENTS, EOOD, ETC — CUL DE SAC DE l'oEANGEEIE 

 AND COMMUNICATION WITH THE NATITES — EEDSCAll BAT 

 AND ITS INHABITANTS— LEATE THE COAST OE NEW 

 GUINEA AND AEEITB AT CAPE lOEK. 



August 17th. — We are once more comfortably at 

 anchor after many dreary days at sea of thick 

 blowing- weather* spent in sailing backwards and 

 forwards, daily tantalised by the sight of land, 

 which was approached only that we might stand 

 off again for the night. Yesterday afternoon the 

 Bramble was seen coming out from under the 

 largest of the Brumer Islands, and on her making 

 the usual signal for good anchorage, we followed 



* In working to the eastward (in June) Bougainville for four 

 days had "the wind constantly blowing very fresh, at E.S.E. 

 and S.E." (just as we found it) " with rain ; a fog so thick that," 

 says he, " we were obliged to fire guns in order to keep company 

 with the Etoile ; and lastly, a very great sea, which hove us 

 towards the shore. We could hardly keep our ground by plying, 

 being obliged to wear, and to carry but httle sail." — Bougainville's 

 A^oyage round the World. Translation by Forster, p. 308. 



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