342 
PAUMOTU GROUP. 
telling him they were not, he said he would go on board if I would 
also take his wife, and her brother,— to which I consented. 
The chief had lost one hand, which he informed me had been 
bitten off by a shark whilst employed in diving for shells. We 
became great friends, and he thought it necessary to be at my side 
the whole time. He was an odd old man, and proved before we left 
him that he had become acquainted with some of the vices of civi- 
lization. 
We all embarked, soon reached the tender, and bore away for the 
ship, some three or four miles distant. The old one-handed chief 
now came up to me in a very mysterious manner, and untying a knot 
in the tail of his shirt (which was the only garment he wore besides 
his maro,) with no small difficulty, with one hand and his teeth, drew 
from it a small dirty piece of linen, tied up as a bag; this he produced 
with great form, and evidently expected to astonish me. The 
contents proved to be a few small discoloured pearls ; these he 
begged me to accept, but I declined to receive them. We now 
reached the ship, and I ordered every thing to be shown them. Their 
surprise was very great. While on board, Messrs. Drayton and 
Agate succeeded in getting a most accurate portrait of him. 
re£gMS$ 
^.^W%m 
PORTRAIT OF THE ONE-HANDED CHIEF. 
The natives were much amused with the ship, and surprised at the 
number of men on board. Many small presents were given them. 
When they were about taking their departure, the old chief com- 
plained of being quite sick, and his whole air and manner showed 
that he was much dissatisfied. The reason could not be imagined. 
The vessel had so little motion, it was thought it could not originate 
