Page:Voyage in search of La Perouse, volume 2 (Stockdale).djvu/59

] As soon as the boat came, we invited some of them to go on board her with us. After taking a long while to resolve on it, three of them consented to get into the boat; but it appeared that they had no intention to quit their party, for they got out again in great haste, as soon as we prepared to push off from the shore.

We then saw them walk with tranquillity along the sea-side, looking toward us from time to time, and uttering cries of joy.

10th. The next day we returned in a large party to these savages.

We rowed along the shore, beyond Port Dentrecasteaux, for some time, when a fire we perceived not far from the sea-side induced us to land.

Some of the natives soon came to meet us, expressing by their cries the pleasure they felt at seeing us again.

Our musician had brought on shore his violin, imagining that he should excite as much enthusiasm among them by some noisy tunes, as we had observed in the islanders at Bouka; but his self-love was truly mortified, at the indifference shown to his performance here. Savages, in general, are not very sensible to the tones of stringed instruments.

As we ascended the heights that skirt the sea, we soon found a party of those natives, by whom we