Page:A voyage round the world, in His Britannic Majesty's sloop, Resolution, commanded by Capt. James Cook, during the years 1772, 3, 4, and 5 (IA b30413849 0001).pdf/257

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behind the bunch of hair on the head. Many of them were strongly carved with spirals in the face; several had painted it with red ochre and oil, and were always much pleased when we laid some vermilion on their cheeks. We likewise saw some little calabashes among them, neatly carved, in which they kept some stinking oil; but whether it was animal or vegetable I could never learn. All their tools were very elegantly carved, and made with great attention. They sold us a hatchet, of which the blade was of the finest green jadde, and the handle curiously ornamented with fretwork. They also brought some musical instruments, among which was a trumpet, or tube of wood, about four feet long, and pretty strait; its small mouth was not above two inches, and the other not above five in diameter; it made a very uncouth kind of braying, for they always sounded the same note, though a performer on the French horn might perhaps be able to bring some better music out of it. Another trumpet was made of a large whelk, (murex tritonis,) mounted with wood, curiously carved, and pierced at the point where the mouth was applied; a hideous bellowing was all the sound that could be procured out of this instrument. The third went by the name of a flute among our people, and was a hollow tube, widest about the middle, where it had a large opening, as well as another at each end. This and the first trumpet were both made of Rh