-THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 
wrapped round their bodies, under the arm-pits. Then the 1777. 
upper ends were let fall, and hung down in folds to the , ° ep . t ^ iJer ; 
ground, over the other, fo as to bear fome refemblance to 
a circular hoop-petticoat. Afterward, round the outfide of 
all, were wrapped feveral pieces of differently-coloured 
cloth, which confiderably increafed the fize; fo that it was 
not lefs than five or fix yards in circuit, and the weight of 
this lingular attire was as much as the poor girls could flip¬ 
per t. To each were hung two taames , or breaft-plates, by 
way of enriching the whole, and giving it a pidturefque 
appearance. Thus equipped, they were conduced on board 
the fliip, together with feveral hogs, and a quantity of 
fruit, which, with the cloth, was a prefent to me from 
Otoo’s father. Perfons, of either fex, dreffed in this man¬ 
ner, are called atee ; but, I believe, it is never pradtifed, ex¬ 
cept when large prefents of cloth are to be made. At lealt, 
I never faw it pradbifed upon any other occafion; nor, in¬ 
deed, had I ever fuch a prefent before; but both Captain 
Clerke and I had cloth given to us afterward, thus wrap¬ 
ped round the bearers. The next day, I had a prefent of Tuefdayp, 
five hogs, and fome fruit, from Otoo; and one hog, and 
fome fruit, from each of his lifters. Nor were other pro- 
vilions wanting. For two or three days, great quantities of 
mackerel had been caught by the natives, within the reef, 
in. feines; fome of which they brought to the fliips and 
tents, and fold. 
Otoo was not more attentive to fupply our wants, by a 
fucceffion of prefents, than he was to contribute to our 
amufement, by a fucceffion of diverfions. A party of us 
having gone down to Oparre, on the 10th, he treated us Wednef, 10, 
with what may be called a play. His three lifters were the 
adtreffes; and the dreffes, that they appeared in, were new 
H 2 and 
