he different reeds by drawing the instrument
across their lips, and in that manner they produced sounds: their
vocal music was far more harmonious, although there was not much
variety in it. Those who were considered as people of distinction
were always to be found in a better sort of boat than common; and
I observed, that when any canoe came near the ship with people of
distinction on board, the higher ranks were always to be known by
a man sitting in the middle of the boat, who held a wooden
instrument in his hand, resembling in shape a common paddle, but
handsomely carved and painted, with its handle finished something
like the hilt of a sword.

When those people were disposed to be kind and friendly, they
frequently sung out in one particular tone, in which, if there
were five hundred together, the nicest ear could not discover one
to differ in the tone or particular note; and immediately after
they all mimicked the barking of a dog: this was meant by them as
a _certain proof_ of their friendly disposition. Before we
had cause to quarrel with them many came on board and were
shaved, an operation with which they were much pleased.

This island, by its appearance from the sea, I judged to be
about ten miles long, in a south-south-west and north-north-east
direction; it is not high, nor can it be called low land, but
appears, when near it, of moderate height and flat: it is well
covered with wood, and along the sea shore were to be seen many
huts of the natives, which were small and neatly made; they were
chiefly built of bamboo, and generally situated under the shade
of a grove of cocoa-nut trees, with a fence or railing before
them, within which the ground was well cleared and trodden, which
gave their little habitations a very neat and cleanly appearance:
I examined whilst we lay there several neat and well fenced
inclosures, in which were the plantain, banana, yam, sugar cane,
and several other articles, which they seem to take some pains to
cultivate.

In short, from what we could discover in the little time we
remained there, I may venture to pronounce the island a perfect
garden, as far as it can with propriety be called so in the hands
of a people, who, no doubt, trust chiefly to nature, and who are
ignorant of the means of assisting her, in the improvement of
those advantages, which she has so bountifully bestowed upon
them.

Although our time here was so short, we had an opportunity of
knowing that th