porter's journal* 



for the six pounder. This they promised me should be 

 done, and every arrangement was made accordingly, and 

 the command of the expedition given to lieutenant Downes. 

 I was this afternoon visited by Taiheataioa, the wife of 

 Gattanewa, accompanied by several of her daughters and 

 granddaughters. Every object about the camp seemed 

 to excite in them the most lively attentions, but none more 

 so, than the sheep and goats, which they call boarka^ which 

 is the name for a hog. The Gallapagoes tortoises they 

 called 7nami, which is the name of a sea-tortoise. The 

 different occupations in which our people were employed, 

 seemed greatly to excite their astonishment. They went 

 from place to place examining, with great curiosity, the 

 operations within the camp. As all they saw was entirely 

 new to them, they appeared struck with admiration ; and 

 though they could not understand the object of our labours, 

 they made no inquiries, but silently turned their attention 

 to the next object which attracted them. In this manner 

 they wandered from my tent to the sail-makers, the coopers, 

 carpenters, armourers and bakers, and even the turning of 

 the grindstone occasioned no less wonder than the rest. 

 They were like children pleased with novelties, which they 

 could not comprehend. Taiheataioa appeared to be an 

 intelligent, and had no doubt been a handsome woman ; 

 she bore the traces of beauty in her features, and the 

 beauty of her children and grandchildren, whose features 

 strongly resembled hers, left no doubt in my mind as to 

 what she had been. Her manner was dignified, and her 

 gestures graceful. I found she possessed that vanity which 

 is so much attributed to her sex, and that she evinced no 

 little pleasure at being compHmented on the strong resemb- 

 lance of her granddaughters to herself. I made them 

 presents of several small articles, which gave them much 

 pleasure, and the old woman frequently reminded me that, 

 as I had exchanged names with Gattanewa, I was now her 

 husband, and (pointing to the others) that those were my 

 children and grandchildren, who looked up to me for pro- 

 tection. 



On the morning of the 29th, the party being on shore, 

 consisting chiefly of the crew of the Essex Junior and the 

 detachment of marines, each man being furnished with an 

 Indian to carry his arms, and spare Indians to carry provi- 



