Page:Voyage in search of La Perouse, volume 2 (Stockdale).djvu/218

178 toward the end of the present work, it may be seen, that the girls were not ashamed to publish what had passed between them and the crew, at the same time that they promised them to come again the next day.

Early the next morning several chiefs came to see us, and announced to the natives, who were already assembled round our vessel in their canoes, that we were on the point of quitting their island: when we were much surprised to see a number of young women immediately falling into tears, and uttering piercing cries. No doubt their sorrow was very acute, but it was of short duration; for soon after we saw them merry enough with their companions.

Futtafaihe requested us to sharpen for him a couple of hatchets, which had been given him by Captain Cook, and which he had had reforged on board the Esperance. This chief was accompanied by his wife, who amused herself a long while by playing with a sort of cup and ball, invented by these islanders. This toy consisted of a ball of wood, which she threw up into the air, and then endeavoured to let fall through a very small semicircle of shell, to which the ball was fastened by means of a long string. We were admiring her address, when Futtafaihe, seized with a fit of jealousy at seeing in her hands some