porter's journal. 



11 



stand that our object was trade, and that we had come with 

 the most friendly views, showing, at the same time, fish- 

 hooks, iron-hoops and knives, which seemed to produce a 

 general joy among them. They informed me that their 

 chief, whom they called Othauough had not arrived, and 

 in a few minutes afterwards, pointed out to me an old man, 

 who approached entirely naked, with the exception of a 

 piece of cloth about his loins, and a small fillet of palm 

 leaves about his temples. This they told me was their 

 chief : and on his addressing a few words to them, they 

 threw by their arms and ornaments, and plunged into the 

 water to gain the boat. I gave to each a small present, 

 but they had no article to offer in return but their women ; 

 and as two of them were not more than sixteen years of 

 age, and both handsome, they no doubt considered them 

 thv3 most acceptable present they could offer us. 



After leaving these friendly people 1 proceeded for the 

 frigate, where I found the traffic with the canoes that had 

 gone off, had been conducted with much harmony. Some 

 of them I passed very near on their return, and the natives 

 on board them expressed their extreme satisfaction by ex- 

 pressions of the most extravagant joy. One of them in 

 the fulness of heart, said he was so glad he longed to get 

 on shore to dance. On rejoining the ship, I was informed 

 by the officers that the natives who had been on board, ex- 

 pressed much surprise at the sight of the goats, sheep, dogs, 

 and other animals, but what seemed most to astonish them, 

 was one of the large Gallapagoes tortoises. It seemed as 

 though they could not sufliciently feast their eyes on it ; 

 and to view it more at their ease they stretched themselves 

 at full length on the deck around it. This appeared to be 

 their general practice when they wished to view leisurely 

 any object that excited their attention, a custom which 

 seems to bespeak the natural indolence of this people : 

 and yet some circumstances seem to be at variance with 

 this opinion ; for on occasions they appear capable of the 

 greatest exertions of strength and activity, as when pad- 

 dhng their canoes, climbing the rocks, &c. The men of 

 this island are remarkably handsome ; of large stature and 

 well proportioned : they possess every variety of counter 

 nance and feature, and a great difference is observable in 

 the colour of the skin, which for the most part is of a 



