THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 
could perceive with our glaffes, that feveral of the natives, i 777 . 
who appeared upon a fandy beach, were all armed with , March ’ , 
long fpears and clubs, which they brandifhed in the air 
with figns of threatening, or, as fome on board interpreted 
their attitudes, with invitations to land. Moll of them ap¬ 
peared naked, except having a fort of girdle, which, being 
brought up between the thighs, covered that part of the 
body. But fome of them had pieces of cloth of different 
colours, white, ftriped, or chequered, which they wore as 
a garment, thrown about their fhoulders. And almoft ail 
of them had a white wrapper about their heads, not much 
unlike a turban; or, in fome inftances, like a high conical 
cap. We could alfo perceive that they were of a tawny 
colour, and in general of a middling feature, but robuft, 
and inclining to corpulence. 
At this time, a fmall canoe was launched in a great 
hurry from the further end of the beach, and a man get¬ 
ting into it, put off, as with a view to reach the lliip. On 
perceiving this, I brought to, that we might receive the 
vifit; but the man’s refolution failing, he foo'n returned 
toward the beach, where, after fome time, another man 
joined him in the canoe ; and then they both paddled to¬ 
ward us. They ftopt fhort, however, as if afraid to ap¬ 
proach, until Omai, who addreffed them in the Otaheite 
language, in fome meafure quieted their apprehenfions. 
They then came near enough to take fome beads and nails, 
which were tied to a piece of wood, and thrown into the 
canoe. They leemed afraid to touch thefe things, and put 
the piece of wood ahde without untying them. This, how¬ 
ever, might arife from fuperflition ; for Omai told us, that 
when they faw us offering them prefents, they afked fome- 
thing for their Eatooa y or god. He alfo, perhaps impro- 
Z 2 perly, 
