24 



porter's journal. 



end of which hangs before in the mannep of an apron. 

 This, with a black and highly polished spear of about twelve 

 feet in length, or a club richly carved, and borne on the 

 shoulders, constitutes the dress and equipment of a native 

 warrior, whose body is highly and elegantly ornamented 

 by tattooing, executed in a manner to excite our admira- 

 tion. This is a faithful picture of a warrior, and of the 

 chief of such warriors I had formed an exalted opinion. 

 But what was my astonishment when Gattanewa presented 

 himself; an infirm old man of seventy years of age, desti- 

 tute of every covering or ornament except a clout about 

 his loins, and a piece of palm leaf tied about his head : a 

 long stick seemed to assist him in walking ; his face and 

 body were as black as a negro's, from the quantity of tat- 

 tooing, which entirely covered them, and his skin was 

 rough, and appeared to be peeling off in scales, from the 

 quantity of kava (an intoxicating root) in which he had in- 

 dulged himself. Such was the figure that Gattanewa pre- 

 sented ; and as he had drank freely of the kava before he 

 made his visit, he appeared to be perfectly stupid. After 

 he had been a short time on deck, 1 endeavoured to impress 

 him with a high opinion of our force ; and for this purpose 

 assembled all my crew : it scarcely seemed to excite his 

 attention. I then caused a gun to be fired, which seemed 

 to produce no other effect on him, than that of pain ; he 

 complained that it hurt his ears. I then invited him below, 

 where nothing whatever excited his attention, until I showed 

 him some whales' teeth. This roused the old man from 

 his lethargy, and he would not be satisfied, until 1 had per- 

 mitted him to handle, to measure, and count them over and 

 over, which seemed to afford him infinite pleasure. After 

 he had done this repeatedly, I put them away ; and shortly 

 afterwards asked him if he had seen any thing in the ship 

 that pleased him ; if he did to name it, and it should be his. 

 He told me he had seen nothing which had pleased him so 

 much astone of the small whales' teeth ; which, on his de- 

 scribing, I took out and gave to him. This he carefully 

 wrapped up in one of the turns of his clout ; begging me 

 not to inform any person that he had about him an article 

 of so much value. I assured him I should not ; and the 

 old man threw himself on the settee and went to sleep. In 

 a few minutes he awoke, somewhat recovered from hi? 



