NATIVE SALUTATIONS. 
335 
The sun had nearly set when we reached the settle¬ 
ment at Vaoaara. As we approached the shore, 
crowds of the natives, who had recognized some of 
our party, came off to meet us, wading into the sea 
above their waist, in order to welcome our arrival. 
While gazing on the motley group that surround¬ 
ed our boat, or thronged the adjacent shore, and 
exchanging our salutations with those nearest us, 
before we were aware of their design, upwards of 
twenty stout men actually lifted our boat out of 
the water, and raised it on their shoulders, carry¬ 
ing us, thus elevated in the air, amid the shouts of 
the bearers, and the acclamations of the multitude 
on the shore, first to the beach, and then to the 
large court-yard in front of the king’s house, 
where, after experiencing no small apprehension 
from this unusual mode of conveyance, we were 
set down safe and dry upon the pavement. 
Here we experienced a hearty welcome from the 
chiefs and people. Their salutations were cordial, 
though unaccompanied by the observances that 
were formerly regarded as indispensable. Con¬ 
sidering the islanders as an uncivilized people, 
they seem to have been remarkably ceremonious. 
This peculiarity appears to have accompanied them 
to the temples, to have distinguished the homage 
and the service they rendered to their gods, to 
have marked their affairs of state, and the carriage 
of the people towards their rulers, to have per¬ 
vaded the whole of their social intercourse, and to 
have been mingled with their diversified amuse¬ 
ments. Their salutations wmre often exceedingly 
ceremonious. When a chieftain from another 
island, or from any distant part, arrived, he seldom 
proceeded at once to the shore, but usually land¬ 
ed, in the first instance, on some of the small 
