A General History & Collection of Voyages and Travels ... - Nauticus

many parts of England."-G.F.After ranging the S.W. side of the greater isle, to about two-thirds of its length, at the distance of half amile from the shore, without seeing the least prospect of either anchorage or landing-place, we bore awayfor Amsterdam, which we had in sight. We had scarcely turned our sails before we observed the shores ofMiddleburg to assume another aspect, seeming to offer both anchorage and landing. Upon this we hauledthe wind, and plied in under the island. In the mean time, two canoes, each conducted by two or three men,came boldly alongside; and some of them entered the ship without hesitation. This mark of confidencegave me a good opinion of these islanders, and determined me to visit them, if possible.[2] After making afew trips, we found good anchorage, and came to in twenty-five fathoms water, and gravel bottom, at threecables' length from the shore. The highest land on the island bore S.E. by E.; the north point N.E. 1/2 E.,and the west S. by W. 1/2 W., and the island of Amsterdam extending from N. by W. 1/2 W. to N.W. 1/2W. We had scarcely got to an anchor before we were surrounded by a great number of canoes full ofpeople, who had brought with them cloth, and other curiosities, which they exchanged for nails, &c.Several came on board; among them was one whom, by the authority he seemed to have over the others, Ifound was a chief, and accordingly made him a present of a hatchet, spike-nails, and several other articles,with which he was highly pleased. Thus I obtained the friendship of this chief, whose name was Tioony.[3][2] "We threw a rope into one of these canoes which ran up close to us, and one of the three peoplein 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 thedeck without speaking a word. The captain presented him with a nail, upon which he immediatelyheld it over his own head, and pronounced fagafetei, which was probably an expression ofthanksgiving. He was naked to the waist, but from thence to the knees he had a piece of clothwrapped about him, which seemed to be manufactured much like that of Otaheite, but was coveredwith a brown colour, and a strong glue, which made it stiff, and fit to resist the wet. His stature wasmiddle-sized, and his lineaments were mild and tolerably regular. His colour was much like that ofthe common Otaheiteans, that is, of a clear mahogany or chesnut brown; his beard was cut short orshaven, and his hair was black, in short, frizzled curls, burnt as it were at the tops. He had threecircular spots on each arm, about the size of a crown-piece, consisting of several concentric circlesof elevated points, which answered to the punctures of the Otaheiteans, but were blacker; besidesthese, he had other black punctures on his body. A small cylinder was fixed through two holes in theloop of his ear, and his left hand wanted the little finger. He continued his silence for a considerablewhile, 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 wasunintelligible 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 tosome one of us, who happened to look towards them. Their language was not unpleasing, andwhatever 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 somequality, 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 downinto the cabin, and wherever we thought fit to conduct him."--G.F.Soon after, a party of us embarked in two boats, in company with Tioony, who conducted us to a littlecreek formed by the rocks, right abreast of the ships, where landing was extremely easy, and the boatssecure against the surf. Here we found an immense crowd of people, who welcomed us on shore with loudacclamations. Not one of them had so much as a stick, or any other weapon in their hands; an indubitable