Page:Voyage in search of La Perouse, volume 2 (Stockdale).djvu/325

] noes, and all of them appeared very honest in bargaining with us, which was perhaps owing to their having heard what had passed between us and the inhabitants of the east side of the island. They, however, offered us only the worst things they had; most of the cocoa nuts they brought were growing seedy. It was not till after some time that they would sell us some bows and arrows, but fearing lest we should turn these arms against themselves, they took the precaution to carry the bows to one boat and the arrows to another. The latter were not pointed. We observed, that by means of a reddish gum, a small piece of bone or tortoise-shell, about half an inch long and well sharpened, was fixed to the end of them; others were pointed with the same sort of materials from ten to twelve inches long; but many were armed with the bone which is found next the tail in that species of ray called raia pastinaca.

We observed several hogs on shore, which they would not bring to us at any price, but promised to sell them if we would come ashore.

I remarked in their possession a necklace of glass beads, some green and others red, which appeared to me to be of English manufacture, and which they agreed to exchange.