e in her came on board, and presented a
root of the intoxicating pepper-tree of the South Sea Islands, touched
our noses with his like the New Zealanders, in sign of friendship, and
then sat down on the deck without speaking a word. The captain
presented him with a nail, upon which he immediately held it over his
own head, and pronounced _fagafetei_, which was probably an expression
of thanksgiving. He was naked to the waist, but from thence to the
knees he had a piece of cloth wrapped about him, which seemed to be
manufactured much like that of Otaheite, but was covered with a brown
colour, and a strong glue, which made it stiff, and fit to resist the
wet. His stature was middle-sized, and his lineaments were mild and
tolerably regular. His colour was much like that of the common
Otaheiteans, that is, of a clear mahogany or chesnut brown; his beard
was cut short or shaven, and his hair was black, in short, frizzled
curls, burnt as it were at the tops. He had three circular spots on
each arm, about the size of a crown-piece, consisting of several
concentric circles of elevated points, which answered to the punctures
of the Otaheiteans, but were blacker; besides these, he had other
black punctures on his body. A small cylinder was fixed through two
holes in the loop of his ear, and his left hand wanted the little
finger. He continued his silence for a considerable while, but some
others, who ventured on board soon after him, were of a more
communicative turn, and after having performed the ceremony of
touching noses, spoke a language which was unintelligible to us at
that time."--G.F.

[3] "They made a great deal of noise about us, every one shewing what
he had to sell, and calling to some one of us, who happened to look
towards them. Their language was not unpleasing, and whatever they
said, was in a singing kind of tone. Many were bold enough to come on
board, without expressing the least hesitation, and one of these
seemed to be a chief, or a man of some quality, and was accordingly
treated with a number of presents, which he severally laid on his
head, when he received them, saying _fagafetei_ every time. Our
English cloth and linen he admired most, and iron wares in the next
degree. His behaviour was very free and unconcerned; for he went down
into the cabin, and wherever we thou