Page:Voyage in search of La Perouse, volume 2 (Stockdale).djvu/70

54 black and yellow predominate. The under feathers of the tail are remarkable for transverse bands, alternately black and pale yellow. A few small reddish feathers are observable at the base of the beak at the upper part of the superior mandible.

12th. The next day a great number of us, from both ships, landed near Port Dentrecasteaux, to endeavour to see the savages again. It was not long before some of them came to meet us, giving us tokens of the greatest confidence. They first examined with great attention the insides of our boats, and then they took us by the arm, and invited us to follow them along the shore.

We had scarcely gone a mile before we found ourselves in the midst of eight-and-forty of the natives; ten men, fourteen women, and twenty-four children, among whom we observed as many girls as boys. Seven fires were burning, and round each was assembled a little family.

The least of the children, frightened at the sight of such a number of Europeans, immediately took refuge in the arms of their mothers, who lavished on them marks of the greatest affection. The fears of the children were soon removed; and they showed us, that they were not exempt from little passions, whence arose differences, to which the mothers almost imme- diately