damsel. The poor
fellow soon returned on board, more dead than alive. Immediately on
landing, it seems, the natives surrounded him, and with all the ease and
genuine curiosity of naturalists inspecting a non-descript mineral,
proceeded to turn him over and over, undressing him from head to foot,
and pawing him about most tumultuously. They afterwards returned him his
clothes, replacing whatever they had taken out of his pockets, and then
brought the girl to him. But after such a scrutinizing and fatiguing
process, it was no wonder that the terrified cook should desist from his
addresses, and make the best of his way back. He afterwards said, his
master might reprimand him as much as he pleased, but could never
frighten him so much as he had been frightened on shore. When the ships
were moored, Bougainville with several of his officers went to survey
the watering-place. The natives expressed joy at their arrival; and the
chief of the district conducted them into his own house, and entertained
them there with liberal hospitality. The rights of friendship,
nevertheless, did not obliterate the inclination to thieving, so
prevalent among these people, for a little before going on board, one of
the gentlemen missed a pistol, which he had been in the habit of
carrying in his pocket. The chief was immediately informed of it, and
gave orders for searching all the persons present. Bougainville stopped
him, and endeavoured to make him understand, that the thief would
certainly be the victim of his own dishonesty, for that what he had
stolen would kill him. This hint had the desired effect; for on the
following day, the pistol was brought on board by the chief himself.

It was now proposed to erect a camp on shore for the sick, and to carry
on the watering and other necessary operations. But this was soon
opposed, the principal people of the district, headed by the chief,
whose name was Ereti, and his father, coming to Bougainville, and
expressing their unwillingness to suffer any of the crew to remain on
shore at night, though they did not object to frequenting it in the
day-time. To this tolerably reasonable intimation, Bougainville replied,
that encampment was absolutely necessary for him, and would facilitate
the friendly intercourse that had been commenced. On this, the natives
held a council, the result of which was, that the chief came to
Bougainville, and made enquiry of him, whether or not he intended to
remain there for