PACIFIC AND BEERING’S STRAIT. 
127 
Jan. 
182C. 
the greatest order prevailed ; nor did their curiosity to scrutinize our CHAP 
persons once lead them to acts of rudeness, notwithstanding we were the 
first Europeans that had ever landed on their island. Indeed, throughout 
this visit, or at least until we were coming away, there was a marked 
improvement in their behaviour; not a single act of theft was attempted, 
labile, on the contrary, one of honesty occurred, which, as it is the only 
instance I have to record, must not be omitted ; — it consisted in re- 
storing to one of our olRcers a handkerchief which he left at a place 
ii^here he had been sitting. This propriety of conduct no doubt ori- 
ginated in the strictness of the discipline which we observed towards 
them. It certainly did not proceed from the example of the chief, for 
the only act of acquisitiveness from which we had reason to apprehend 
^ny dispute proceeded from that personage himself. To oblige him, I 
^3^d consented to his looking into the bag of presents, with which he 
became so enamoured that he retained it in his grasp, and once or twice 
Endeavoured to appropriate it to himself by force 
We had not remained many minutes in the hut where we were 
fiist introduced, when the areghe rose, and, taking me with him, went to 
^ large stone, in the centre of the paved area, where we both sat down, 
and were immediately surrounded by some hundreds of his subjects. 
The exchange of place was by no means agreeable, as we quitted a cool 
and refreshing retreat for a spot scarcely screened from a scorching sun 
V a few scanty leaves of the bread-fruit tree. After being seated here 
^ few minutes, a tall good-looking young man was introduced, also as 
^n areghe, to whom the old chief transferred the cloth I had given 
liinj. I made him in addition a similar present, and distributed others 
®f smaller value to several natives around us, in the hope of quieting 
^l^eir solicitations ; but I soon perceived that this generosity had the 
*^Pposite effect. 
The young chief was handsomely tattooed ; he had a turban of 
'^'hite cloth, and a girdle of banana-leaf as his only covering. He was 
anxious to communicate with us than the old man ; pointed to 
road leading over the hill to a village on the opposite side, and 
^^ade many signs, which we interpreted as promising us the restora- 
