Page:Voyage in search of La Perouse, volume 2 (Stockdale).djvu/171

] breadth. The roof, covered with the leaves of the vacoua, which rendered it impenetrable to the heaviest shower, had an elevation of about five yards and a half, and descended within three quarters of a yard of the ground, on which some fine mats were spread. The floor was raised six or eight inches higher than the surrounding earth, which secured it from all danger of being overflowed; and the roof was supported by ten pillars.

At length Toobou arrived with two of his daughters, who had poured on their hair an abundance of cocoa-nut oil, and wore each a necklace, made with the pretty seeds of the abrus precatorius.

The natives formed a great concourse on all sides. According to our estimation, at least four thousand of them were present.

The place of honour, no doubt, was on the king's left hand, for it was there he invited the General to sit, who immediately ordered the presents, which he intended for Toobou, to be brought forward. The king expressed much thankfulness for them; but, of all that was offered him, nothing so much excited the admiration of this numerous assembly, as a piece of crimson damask, the lively colour of which produced from all sides an exclamation of eho! eho! which they continued repeating a long time, with an appear-