Page:Voyage in search of La Perouse, volume 2 (Stockdale).djvu/145

] ately began to chew some large roots of the species of pepper tree, to which they give that name, and the liquor was soon prepared. He drank of it first, and the rest was shared among the other natives, who, as well as Feenou, ate plantains after it. Out of respect to him, they all squatted on the deck, while he sat on the watch bench.

We showed this chief several engravings in the voyages of Captain Cook. It was with the greatest respect that he several times pronounced the name of that celebrated navigator, which he called Toote. It is remarkable, that though we could pronounce words of their language with great facility, they could not do so with ours: for instance, when they wished to pronounce the word François, they said Palançois; instead of Beaupré, they said Beaupélé, &c. Feenou talked to us of Otaheite, and said, that he had seen Omai at Anamooka. Perhaps this is the same Feenou who was particularly intimate with Cook in his last voyage, though that navigator says he was a tall man.

His attendants said a great deal to us about King Toobou, of whose power they made great boast; and to point out to us his superiority, they raised the right arm very high, pronouncing his name at the same time, and then touched it near the elbow with the left hand, to mark the inferi-