Page:Voyage in search of La Perouse, volume 2 (Stockdale).djvu/187

] lated to Futtafaihe. They first removed the earth from them, and then separated them by breaking them with a volcanic pebble, round which, near the middle, they took the precaution to wrap pieces of matting, to prevent the splinters from flying into their eyes. They were scarcely below the surface of the earth, and arranged in strata about four inches thick.

We had before observed among these people a game with the hands, which they call léagui, and which requires great attention. Two play at it, and it consists in one's endeavouring instantly to repeat the signs made by the other, while the former makes signs in his turn, which the other is to repeat in like manner. We saw two in a party at no great distance from our market, who were so quick at this exercise, that our eyes were scarcely able to follow their motions.

Citizen Legrand, who had been sent the day before to discover some passages to leeward of our anchorage, returned in the evening, after having found two towards the north.

5th. Early in the morning I set off, with all the other naturalists of our expedition, for the island of Tongataboo. Some of the natives would carry us thither in their little canoes, but most of us, not being sufficiently careful in preserving our equilibrium, upset them as soon as they put off.