Page:Voyage in search of La Perouse, volume 1 (Stockdale).djvu/413

] When I first cast my eyes on him, he was playing on an instrument, which I was surprized to see among those people: it was a jew's harp, cut out of the hardest part of a bamboo, but was not quite so large as the iron ones which we use. As the tongue of it could not be bent, to make it vibrate with the fingers, a little string tied to one of the extremities of the instrument communicated the impulse necessary to agitate the tongue, which then gave the same sound as the iron blades of our jew's harps. I was told that this instrument was very agreeable to the Papows.

5th. We had, for some days, formed the design of visiting the country house belonging to the Commander of the place, situated near the farthest end of the road; and his son favoured us with his company.

We set off before day-break; and it was scarcely five o'clock, before we were seated in our canoes.

We soon arrived under a shed, surrounded with trees, which afforded a salutary protection from the scorching heat; and they were by no means a vain decoration to this delightful retreat, for most of them bore excellent fruit. Among the different anonas which were offered to us, the best was of the species known by the name of anona muricata.

In a little time, we re-embarked, and we were near