Page:Voyage in search of La Perouse, volume 2 (Stockdale).djvu/138

110 eagerness to oblige us. Seeing us collect plants, several pulled up indiscriminately all they found, made them up into large bundles, brought them to us, and then wanted to load us with them. Others, observing us collect insects, were incessantly asking whether they were not to feed the birds we had just purchased. But most put on a semblance of having the greatest affection for us, while they were purloining our things. Several times we endeavoured in vain to get rid of them, the methods we took being unquestionably too mild, for people accustomed to be treated so roughly by their chiefs.

Futtafaihe, accompanied by another chief, had been to dine with the General, who presented one with a scarlet suit of clothes, the other with a blue. Adorned with this new dress, which they had put on over their own clothes, they were in one of the tents of the observatory, when Feenou made his appearance at the entrance of it, and displayed great jealousy at seeing them thus equipped. He retired with an air of great discontent, saying, that every body passed themselves off for chiefs (egui), and went to drink kava with some others. We did not know what to think of Feenou's precipitate retreat; but we presumed; that he was less powerful than Futtafaihe, and declined appearing before him, that he might not