Page:Voyage in search of La Perouse, volume 2 (Stockdale).djvu/164

134 obliged to cross a tolerably rapid current, not above six feet deep soon after the tide had begun to make in, and the water of which was warmed by passing over a beach strongly heated by the rays of the sun. Here we found one of the Queen's maids of honour; to whom we presented a few beads; and immediately she sent to catch a couple of fowls to offer us. These we took the trouble of carrying, lest she should have been chagrined at our refusal of them. She was very careful to let us know that she did not give them by way of barter; affecting to repeat with an air of dignity ikaï fokatau, and to inform us by the word adoupé, that she made us a present of them. Indeed the chiefs never offered to barter their articles for ours; they made us presents, and received whatever we thought proper to give.

It is remarkable that the natives brought to our market several cocks, but very seldom any hens. These they kept to hatch chickens, and of course they sold us but few eggs likewise.

The two fowls now given us were hens, and had been caught in our sight with the same kind of net, as we had seen employed to take fish in the open road.

The soil of the island of Manima is little cultivated; we saw in it, however, a few fields of yams, cocoa trees, and plantains.