SOUTH SEA 
he appeared delighted, and scampering off to the shore, 
he soon spread wide his great success among his fellow 
countrymen, who immediately followed his example, 
and in about two hours we had half filled our boats 
with these roots, and having consumed our stock of old 
iron, were obliged to return to the ship for a further 
supply, making signs as we left them that we should 
quickly return* Our people on board were also in 
turn delighted with our success, and after we had sup - 
plied ourselves with the much coveted iron, we speedily 
returned to our newly found market. When we again 
drew near to the shore, we perceived that a very great 
number of people had congregated upon it, most of 
whom were waiting with their baskets of potatos ready 
for exchange, and when we arrived near to them we 
placed our boats 5 sterns close to the shore, with the men 
lying constantly on their oars ready for a start in case 
our new acquaintances should become unruly, seeing 
that a scuffling arose among them upon the shore, about 
who should be foremost in the throng. 
They soon made a rush towards our boats, and the 
commodities were exchanged on both sides with great 
celerity ; wading up to their waists, they offered their 
little baskets made of the branches of the cocoa-nut tree 
containing the roots, with a cheerful face, which was 
rendered more so when they received the morsel of rusty 
old iron-hoop which we handed to them. 
We soon found them a bold warlike people, remark** 
ably quick in their manners, with large frames an<^ 
great strength, holding themselves upright, shewing a 
