Page:Voyage in search of La Perouse, volume 2 (Stockdale).djvu/337

] of the savages we had hitherto seen, were in the practice of holding their fishing lines in their hands. The hook was made of tortoise-shell.

Some of these natives wore as ornaments, bracelets made of various kinds of shells; others had them of the rind of the cocoa nut, bespangled throughout their whole circumference with a great number of coloured seeds.

It does not appear that they chew betel; at least I never perceived any signs of their doing it.

After these boats had remained several hours about our vessel, one of their chiefs gave them the signal for departing, upon which they immediately rowed towards the coast with great speed. One of the boats, however remained a few moments, to receive some pieces of red cloth which we were about to present to the natives at the instant when the signal was given; but as soon as these islanders saw that their companions had left them behind, they plied their oars with all the speed they were able, in order to overtake them. We were amazed to see their canoe skim the waves with such rapidity, that it must have run at the rate of at least 7,500 toises an hour.

1st. Early in the morning we began to range along the southern coast of Guadal-canal, which descends with a very gentle declivity to the sea, and observed in the interior part of the island