.210 
A VOYAGE TO 
1 777 * 
April, 
had it cropped pretty ihort; and, in two or three of them, 
, it was of a brown, or reddifh colour. Their only covering 
was a narrow piece of mat, wrapt feveral times round the 
lower part of the body, and which paffed between the 
thighs ; but a fine cap of red feathers was feen lying in 
one of the canoes. The fhell of a pearl-oyfier poliihed, 
and hung about the neck, was the only ornamental fafhion 
that we obferved amongft them ; for not one of them had 
adopted that mode of ornament, fo generally prevalent 
amongft the natives of this Ocean, of pundturing, or ta- 
tooing their bodies. 
Though fingular in this, we had the moft unequivocal 
proofs of their being of the fame common race.. Their 
language approached ftill nearer to the dialed! of Otaheite,, 
than that of Wateeoo, or Mangeea. Like the inhabitants 
of thefe two iflands, they inquired from whence our ftiips 
came ; and whither bound; who was our Chief; the num¬ 
ber of our men on board; and even the fhip’s name. And 
they very readily anfwered fuch queftions as we propofed 
to them. Amongft other things, they told us, they had 
feen two great fhips, like ours, before; but that they had 
not fpoken with them as they failed paft. There can be no 
doubt, that thefe were the Refolution and Adventure. We 
learnt from them, that the name of their iiland is Te- 
rouggemou Atooa; and that they were fubjedt to Teere- 
vatooeah, king of Wateeoo *. According to the account 
that they gave, their articles of food are cocoa-nuts, fifti, 
and turtle; the iiland not producing plantains, or bread¬ 
fruit; and being deftitute of hogs and dogs. Their canoes, 
of which near thirty were, at one time, in fight, are pretty 
* The reader will obferve, that this name bears little affinity to any one of the names 
of the three Chiefs of Wateeoo, as preferved by Mr. Anderfon. 
i large, 
