Page:Voyage in search of La Perouse, volume 1 (Stockdale).djvu/409

] on the land side, and six towards the road, with embrasures to receive forty pieces of cannon.

While I was on shore, Citizen Riche set our canoe-men a diving, and they frequently brought him up very valuable marine productions. The road of Amboyna abounds with beautiful shells, which are seldom met with elsewhere; the most delicate being protected, in its numerous deep recesses, from the motion of the waters, are often found in perfect preservation.

Our Papow proved to be not only the best diver, but the merriest of all our guides. His humour, which was truly laughable, very much diverted his comrades. He acted several scenes of comedy, which he told us was a favourite amusement among his countrymen. One of those which he repeated the oftenest, because it produced general applause, represented a woman ready to lye in. He entertained us, when we were taking some refreshment, with the finest part of the piece, and he seemed to do great justice to the character.

Some of the inhabitants of the South Sea Islands act similar comedies. Captain Cook, in his second voyage, relates, that at the Society Islands, he was present at such an exhibition.

I took the opportunity, while our Papow was in so good a humour, to ask him, What method the