THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 
229 
watering, I went afhore, in the forenoon, accompanied by 1777. 
Captain Clerk e, and fome of the Officers, to fix on a place , _ May ‘ , 
where the obfervatories might be fet np, and a guard be Friday 2, 
if ationed; the natives having readily given us leave. They 
alfo accommodated us with a boat-houfe, to ferve as a tent, 
and fhewed us every other mark of civility. Toobou, the 
Chief of the ifland, conducted me and Omai to his houfe. 
We found it fituated on a pleafant fpot, in the centre of his 
plantation. A fine grafs-plot furrounded it, which, he 
gave us to underftand, was for the purpofe of cleaning 
their feet, before they went within doors. I had not, be¬ 
fore, obferved fuch an inltance of attention to cleanlinefs 
at any of the places I had vifited in this ocean; but, after¬ 
ward, found that it was very common at the Friendly 
Iflands. The floor of Toobou’s houfe was covered with 
mats; and no carpet, in the mold elegant Englifh drawing¬ 
room, could be kept neater. While we were on fhore, we 
procured a few hogs, and fome fruit, by bartering; and, 
before we got on board again, the fliips were crowded with 
the natives. Few of them coming empty-handed, every 
neceflary refrefhment was now in the greatelf plenty. 
I landed again in the afternoon, with a party of ma¬ 
rines ; and, at the fame time, the horfes, and fuch of the 
cattle as were in a weakly ftate, were fent on fhore.. Every 
thing being fettled to my fatisfadtion, I returned to the 
fliip at funfet, leaving the command upon the ifland to 
Mr. King. Taipa, who was now become our fait friend, 
and who feemed to be the only active perfon about us, 
in order to be near our party in the night, as well as the 
day, had a houfe brought, on men’s fhoulders, a full 
quarter of a mile, and placed clofe to the flied which our 
party occupied. 
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