ce of cloth being tied round his
middle, his body was smeared with charcoal and water, as low as the
shoulders, till it was as black as that of a negro: The same operation
was performed upon several others, among whom were some women, who were
reduced to a state as near to nakedness as himself; the boy was blacked
all over, and then the procession set forward. Tubourai Tamaide uttered
something, which was supposed to be a prayer, near the body; and did the
same when he came up to his own house: When this was done, the
procession was continued towards the fort, permission having been
obtained to approach it upon this occasion. It is the custom of the
Indians to fly from these processions with the utmost precipitation, so
that as soon as those who were about the fort, saw it at a distance,
they hid themselves in the woods. It proceeded from the fort along the
shore, and put to flight another body of Indians, consisting of more
than an hundred, every one hiding himself under the first shelter that
he could find: It then crossed the river, and entered the woods, passing
several houses, all which were deserted, and not a single Indian could
be seen during the rest of the procession, which continued more than
half an hour. The office that Mr Banks performed was called that of the
_Nineveh_, of which there were two besides himself; and the natives
having all disappeared, they came to the chief mourner, and said
_imitata_, there are no people, after which the company was dismissed to
wash themselves in the river, and put on their customary apparel.

On the 12th, complaint being made to me, by some of the natives, that
two of the seamen had taken from them several bows and arrows, and some
strings of plaited hair, I examined the matter, and finding the charge
well supported, I punished each of the criminals with two dozen lashes.

Their bows and arrows have not been mentioned before, nor were they
often brought down to the fort: This day, however, Tubourai Tamaide
brought down his, in consequence of a challenge which he had received
from Mr Gore. The chief supposed it was to try who could send the arrow
farthest; Mr Gore, who best could hit a mark; and as Mr Gore did not
value himself upon shooting to a great distance, nor the chief upon
hitting a mark, there was no trial of skill between them. Tubourai
Tamaide, however, to shew us what he could do, drew his bow, and sent an
arrow, none of which are feathered, two hundred and se