lty
of, was the breaking the shoulder-bone of one of our goats, so that she
died soon after. This loss fell upon themselves, as she was one of those
that I intended to leave upon the island; but of this, the person who
did it was ignorant.

Early in the morning of the 18th, an incident happened, that strongly
marked one of their customs. A man got out of a canoe into the quarter
gallery of the Resolution, and stole from thence a pewter bason. He was
discovered, pursued, and brought alongside the ship. On this occasion,
three old women, who were in the canoe, made loud lamentations over the
prisoner, beating their breasts and faces in a most violent manner, with
the inside of their fists; and all this was done without shedding a
tear. This mode of expressing grief is what occasions the mark which
almost all this people bear on the face, over the cheek-bones. The
repeated blows which they inflict upon this part, abrade the skin, and
make even the blood flow out in a considerable quantity; and when the
wounds are recent, they look as if a hollow circle had been burnt in. On
many occasions, they actually cut this part of the face with an
instrument, in the same manner as the people of Otaheite cut their
heads.

This day, I bestowed on Mareewagee some presents, in return for those we
had received from him the day before; and as the entertainments which he
had then exhibited for our amusement, called upon us to make some
exhibition in our way, I ordered the party of marines to go through
their exercise on the spot where his dances had been performed; and, in
the evening, played off some fire-works at the same place. Poulaho, with
all the principal chiefs, and a great number of people, of all
denominations, were present. The platoon firing, which was executed
tolerably well, seemed to give them pleasure; but they were lost in
astonishment when they beheld our water-rockets. They paid but little
attention to the fife and drum, or French horns that played during the
intervals. The king sat behind every body, because no one is allowed to
sit behind him; and, that his view might not be obstructed, nobody sat
immediately before him; but a lane, as it were, was made by the people
from him, quite down to the space allotted for the fire-works.

In expectation of this evening show, the circle of natives about our
tent being pretty large, they engaged, the greatest part of the
afternoon, in boxing and wrestling; the first of which ex