e with us to the last
moment.

SECTION X.

_Advantages derived from visiting the Friendly Islands.--Best Articles
for Traffic.--Refreshments that may be procured.--The Number of the
Islands, and their Names.--Keppel's and Boscawen's Islands belong to
them.--Account of Vavaoo--Of Hamoa--Of Feejee.--Voyages of the Natives
in their Canoes.--Difficulty of procuring exact Information.--Persons of
the Inhabitants of both Sexes.--Their Colour.--Diseases.--Their general
Character.--Manner of wearing their Hair.--Of puncturing their
Bodies.--Their Clothing and Ornaments.--Personal Cleanliness_.

Thus we took leave of the Friendly Islands and their inhabitants, after
a stay of between two and three months, during which time, we lived
together in the most cordial friendship. Some accidental differences, it
is true, now and then happened, owing to their great propensity to
thieving; but too often encouraged by the negligence of our own people.
But these differences were never attended with any fatal consequences,
to prevent which, all my measures were directed; and I believe few on
board our ships left our friends here without some regret. The time
employed amongst them was not thrown away. We expended very little of
our sea provisions, subsisting, in general, upon the produce of the
islands, while we staid, and carrying away with us a quantity of
refreshments sufficient to last till our arrival at another station,
where we could depend upon a fresh supply. I was not sorry, besides, to
have had an opportunity of bettering the condition of these good people,
by leaving the useful animals before-mentioned among them; and, at the
same time, those designed for Otaheite, received fresh strength in the
pastures of Tongataboo. Upon the whole, therefore, the advantages we
received by touching here were very great; and I had the additional
satisfaction to reflect, that they were received, without retarding one
moment, the prosecution of the great object of our voyage; the season
for proceeding to the north, being, as has been already observed, lost,
before I took the resolution of bearing away for these islands.

But besides the immediate advantages, which both the natives of the
Friendly Islands and ourselves received by this visit, future navigators
from Europe, if any such should ever tread our steps, will profit by the
knowledge I acquired of the geography of this part of the Pacific Ocean;
and the more philosophical reader, who