Page:Voyage in search of La Perouse, volume 2 (Stockdale).djvu/207

] Titifa and several other chiefs were not without anxiety, on account of the hostile intentions of some of the natives toward us. They imparted to us their apprehensions, and persuaded us to return on board before the close of the day; their authority, no doubt, being insufficient to control them.

At night-fall we perceived, that our rudder chains had been taken away.

7th. We observed on shore several young girls, who had cut their hair to the length of an inch, except round the head, and afterwards powdered it with lime, for the purpose, we were told, of making it grow of a light colour. We saw several others, whose hair was of this complexion already.

Most of the women did not desist from asking us for glass rings and beads, with which they adorned themselves, as soon as they obtained them. Their request was always accompanied with a pleasing smile, and at the same time they inclined their head, laying one of their hands on the breast, in the manner represented Plate XXX, Fig. 1.

Titifa brought us some nutmegs, which were tolerably round, and as large again as those of the cultivated nutmeg, but they were destitute of aromatic flavour. The mace was covered with a pretty thick down. The natives, observing we