456 



HISTORY OF THE SEA. 



throats now troubling the crew, he attributed them to the snow- 

 water of the Strait, and cured them by putting a pint of vinegar 

 and a dozen red-hot bullets into the daily water-cask. He com- 

 bated the scurvy by employing lemonade prepared from a con- 

 centration in the form of powder. He made fresh water from 

 salt water by means of a distilling apparatus which furnished a 

 barrelful every night. In order to economize their drinking- 

 water, their bread was kneaded with water dipped up from the 

 sea. On the 4th of April, they discovered land ; and fires burn- 

 ing during the night over a wide extent of coast showed them 

 that it was inhabited and populous. In the morning a canoe pro- 

 pelled by twelve naked men approached. The chief, with a pro- 

 digious growth of hair which stood like bristles divergent on his 

 head, offered the commander a cluster of bananas, indicating that 

 this was the olive-branch in use in Tahiti, — the island at which 

 the ships had now arrived. Presents were exchanged and an 

 alliance effected. 



The vessels were now surrounded with canoes laden with 

 cocoanuts and bananas, and a brisk and tolerably honest trade 

 was driven by the natives and the strangers. The aspect of the 

 coast — the mountains covered with foliage to their very summits, 

 the lowlands interspersed with meadows and with plantations of 

 tropical fruit, cascades pouring down from the rocks into the sea, 

 streams flowing among lovely clusters of huts situated upon the 

 shore — offered an enchanting scene to the wearied crews. While 

 the Boudeuse was casting her anchor, canoes filled with women 

 came around her. "These," adds Bougainville, with charac- 

 teristic French gallantry, "are not inferior for agreeable fea- 

 tures to most European women. It was very difficult, amidst 

 such a sight, to keep at their work four hundred young sailors 

 who had seen none of the fair sex for six months. The capstan 

 was never hove with more alacrity than on this occasion." 



The captain and several officers now went on shore, where 

 they were received with high glee by all, with the exception of a 



