ir clothes and putting them upon us. In return for
this, we presented each of them with a hatchet and some beads. Soon
after they made signs for us to go with them to the places where they
lived, pointing to the S.W.; and as I was desirous of finding a more
commodious harbour, and making farther trial of the disposition of the
people, I consented.

I ordered out two boats, and with Mr Banks and Dr Solander, the other
gentlemen, and our two Indian friends, we embarked for our expedition.
After rowing about a league, they made signs that we should go on shore,
and gave us to understand that this was the place of their residence. We
accordingly landed, among several hundreds of the natives, who conducted
us into a house of much greater length than any we had seen. When we
entered, we saw a middle-aged man, whose name was afterwards discovered
to be _Tootahah_; mats were immediately spread, and we were desired to
sit down over against him. Soon after we were seated, he ordered a cock
and hen to be brought out, which he presented to Mr Banks and me; we
accepted the present, and in a short time each of us received a piece of
cloth, perfumed after their manner, by no means disagreeably, which
they took great pains to make us remark. The piece presented to Mr Banks
was eleven yards long and two wide; in return for which, he gave a laced
silk neckcloth, which he happened to have on, and a linen pocket
handkerchief: Tootahah immediately dressed himself in this new finery,
with an air of perfect complacency and satisfaction. But it is now time
that I should take some notice of the ladies.

Soon after the interchanging of our presents with Tootahah, they
attended us to several large houses, in which we walked about with great
freedom: they shewed us all the civility of which, in our situation, we
could accept; and, on their part, seemed to have no scruple that would
have prevented its being carried farther. The houses, which as I have
observed before, are all open, except a roof, afforded no place of
retirement; but the ladies, by frequently pointing to the mats upon the
ground, and sometimes seating themselves and drawing us down upon them,
left us no room to doubt of their being much less jealous of observation
than we were.

We now took leave of our friendly chief, and directed our course along
the shore; when we had walked about a mile, we met, at the head of a
great number of people, another chief, whose name was _Toubourai