must do them the justice to believe, that it was meant to treat us; nevertheless, the greatest part, if not the whole, generally fell to their share.  I was not well prepared to take leave of this chief, having exhausted almost all our store on the other.  However, after rummaging our pockets, and treasury-bag, which was always carried with me wherever I went, we made up a tolerable present, both for him and his friends.  This old chief had an air of dignity about him that commanded respect, which the other had not.  He was grave, but not sullen; would crack a joke, talk on indifferent subjects, and endeavour to understand us and be understood himself.  During this visit, the old priest repeated a short prayer or speech, the purport of which we did not understand.  Indeed he would frequently, at other times, break out in prayer; but I never saw any attention paid to him by any one present.  After a stay of near two hours, we took leave, and returned on board, with Attago and two or three more friends, who staid and breakfasted with us; after which they were dismissed, loaded with presents.

Attago was very importunate with me to return again to this isle, and to bring with me cloth, axes, nails, &c. &c. telling me that I should have hogs, fowls, fruit, and roots, in abundance.  He particularly desired me, more than once, to bring him such a suit of clothes as I had on, which was my uniform.  This good-natured islander was very serviceable to me, on many occasions, during our short stay.  He constantly came on board every morning soon after it was light, and never quitted us till the evening.  He was always ready, either on board or on shore, to do me all the service in his power:  His fidelity was rewarded at a small expence, and I found my account in having such a friend.

In heaving in the coasting cable, it parted in the middle of its length, being chafed by the rocks.  By this accident we lost the other half, together with the anchor, which lay in forty fathoms water, without any buoy to it.  The best bower-cable suffered also by the rocks; by which a judgment may be formed of this anchorage.  At ten o’clock we got under sail; but as our decks were much encumbered with fruit, &c. we kept plying under the land till they were cleared.  The supplies we got at this isle, were about one hundred and fifty pigs, twice that number of fowls, as many bananoes and cocoa-nuts as we could find room for, with a few yams; and had our stay been longer, we no doubt might have got a great deal more.  This in some degree shews the fertility of the island, of which, together with the neighbouring one of Middleburg, I shall now give a more particular account.

CHAPTER III.

A Description of the Islands and their Produce; with the Cultivation, Houses, Canoes, Navigation, Manufactures, Weapons, Customs, Government, Religion, and Language of the Inhabitants.

1773 October