PLATE XXXII. 



the ornaments with which the natives of Otaheite had decorated their 

 dresses, which were composed of feathers, and the barks of tress. 

 To these garments they were attached by means of a string passing 

 through a hole perforated for the purpose on one side of the shell. 

 The natives were not so easily induced to part with these shells as 

 the other decorations of their clothing, appreciating them at a much 

 higher value. Our navigators were at fiist led to imagine these shells 

 to be inhabitants of the seas surrounding Otaheite, in which particular 

 they were at length undeceived by the natives who informed them to 

 the contrary : they said the shells were found near an island at a 

 great distance from Otaheite, and from the direction of the spot 

 toward which they pointed, it was conjectured they meant the Fegee 

 or Fidgi Islands, which are inhabited by the most ferocious cannibals 

 throughout those seas.* Our navigators were therefore able only to 



* Wc learn from Labillardiere, one of the Naturalists attached to the 

 expedition of Admiral Bruni d'Entrecasteaux, who went in search of 

 La Perouse in 1791, 1792, 1793, that this report is true. When the French 

 ships Recherche und Esperance touched at Tongataboo, there happened to 

 be peace between them and Fidgi, and as usual when they are not at war, a 

 considerable commerce was at that time carried on between them. This 

 brought Vouacecee, one of the chiefs of Fidgi, to Tongataboo soon after the 

 French had cast anchor, and as he paid them frequently a visit, they were 

 able to collect from him some useful information. Vouacecee represented 

 Fidgi to be very high land, of great fertility and lying distant in the north 

 west direction about seventy-two myriametres. The myriametre reduced to 

 our standard is six miles, one furlong, one hundred and fifty-six yards, and 

 six inches, giving in total value about one hundred and forty-nine leagues, 

 or four hundred and forty-seiven miles. In the most favourable weather 

 with the large double canoe the voyage to Fidgi from thence could not be 

 less than three days, and when they had to struggle against tke south winds 

 they must ply to windward upwards of a month. The people of Tongataboa 

 told them the people of Fidgi were cannibals : Vouacecee strove to excul- 

 pate himself by answerin|^ that it was only the touas, or people of the lowest 

 class, who eat human flesh. But the assurances of the natives of Tongataboo 

 were fully confirmed in other quarters, and Labillardiere who observes they 



