OVOLAU. 61 



tobacco, a musket, watch, &c. These were received with clapping 

 of hands, their mode of returning thanks. It was my intention to 

 have had the feast of rice-bread and molasses on board, but I found 

 their numbers so great that I determined on sending it on shore, and 

 only treated them to some weak whiskey and water in lieu of ava, 

 with which they were much pleased. The marines were put through 

 their exercises, marched and countermarched to the music of the drum 

 and fife, which delighted them extremely. After being three hours 

 on board, hearing that the provisions for the feast had been sent on 

 shore, they desired to depart, and were again landed. The Tongese 

 sang their boat-song as they sculled his canoe; but this custom, 

 according to Whippy, is not practised by the Feejees. 



I have scarcely seen a finer-looking set of men than composed the 

 suite of Tanoa. There was a £reat contrast between the Tongese and 

 Feejees : the former being light mulattoes, while the latter were quite 

 black ; their whole make seemed to point out a different origin. The 

 Tongese have small joints, and well-developed and rounded mus- 

 cles, while the Feejees' limbs are large and muscular ; the latter are 

 slender in body, and apparently inured to hard fare and living. The 

 difference in manner was equally great : in the Tongese there was 

 a native grace, combined with fine forms, and an expression and 

 carriage as if educated ; whilst there was an air of power and 

 independence in the Feejees, that made them claim attention. They 

 at once strike one as peculiar, and unlike the Polynesian natives, 

 having a great deal of activity both of mind and body : this may be 

 owing, in a great measure, to their constant wars, and the necessity 

 of their being continually on the alert, to prevent surprise. It was 

 pleasant to look upon the Tongese, but I felt more interest in the 

 Feejees ; the contrast was somewhat like that observable between a 

 well-bred gentleman and a boor. 



After the king got on shore, they had much talk at the mbure- 

 house, upon all they had seen, and among other things, he remarked, 

 " that my men might be good warriors, but they walked very much 

 like Muscovy ducks," a bird of which they have numbers. 



Tanoa sent me word he would like to come and see things without 

 ceremony, to which I readily consented. The next day he came on 

 board, as he said, to look and see for himself; he stayed some hours. 

 When he entered the cabin, I was pouring out some mercury for 

 my artificial horizon, of which I gave him several globules in his 

 hand. He complained of their being hot, and amused himself for a 



VOL. III. 16 



