382 
POLYNESIAN RESEARCHES. 
cord, and adorned with shells. The stem pro¬ 
jected nearly horizontally, but the stern being 
considerably elevated, extended obliquely from the 
seat occupied by the steersman* The sterns were 
ornamented with rude carving, and, together with 
the sides, painted with a kind of red ochre, while 
the seams were covered with the feathers of 
aquatic birds. A tabu had been recently laid on 
the island by the priests, which they had supposed 
would prevent the arrival of any vessel, and they 
were consequently rather disconcerted by our ap¬ 
proach. Among the natives who came on board, 
was a remarkably fine, tall, well-made man, who 
appeared, from the respect paid him by the others, 
to be a chief. His body was but partially tataued, 
his only dress was a girdle or broad bandage 
round his loins, and his glossy, black, and curling 
hair was tied in a bunch on the crown of his head, 
while its extremities hung in ringlets on his shoul¬ 
ders. His disposition appeared mild and friendly. 
His endeavours to induce us to land were unre¬ 
mitted, until nearly sunset; when, finding them 
unavailing, and receiving from the captain an 
assurance that he would keep near the island till 
the morrow, he expressed a wish to remain on 
board, although considerably affected by the mo¬ 
tion of the vessel. 
The next morning we stood in close to the reefs, 
and a party from the ship accompanied the chief 
to the shore : the population appeared but small; 
the people were friendly, and readily bartered 
fowls, taro, and mountain plantains for articles of 
cutlery and fish-hooks. Their gardens were un¬ 
fenced, and the few pigs they had were kept in 
holes or wide pits four or five feet deep, and fed 
with bread-fruit and other vegetables. Only one was 
