me composition by a
chief's daughter, who was entirely a stranger to me. I received, at the
same time, a handsome stone mery, which I afterwards always carried with
me.

"Aimy now advised me to take two or three wives, it being the custom for
the chiefs to have as many as they think proper; and I consented to take
two. About sixty women were then brought up before me, none of whom,
however, pleased me, and I refused to have any of them; on which Aimy
told me that I was 'tabooed' for three days, at the expiration of which
time he would take me with him to his brother's camp, where I should
find plenty of women that would please me.

"Accordingly we went to his brother's at the time appointed, when
several women were brought up before us; but, having cast my eyes upon
Aimy's two daughters, who had followed us, and were sitting on the
grass, I went up to the eldest, and said that I would choose her.

"On this she immediately screamed and ran away; but two of the natives,
having thrown off their mats, pursued her, and soon brought her back,
when, by the direction of Aimy, I went and took hold of her hand. The
two natives then let her go, and she walked quietly with me to her
father, but hung down her head, and continued laughing. Aimy now called
his other daughter to him, who also came laughing; and he then advised
me to take them both.

"I then turned to them, and asked them if they were willing to go with
me, when they both answered, _I pea_, or _I pair_, which signifies,
'Yes, I believe so.'[AT]

"On this, Aimy told them they were 'tabooed' to me, and directed us all
three to go home together, which we did, followed by several of the
natives. We had not been many minutes at our own village, when Aimy, and
his brother also, arrived; and in the evening, a great feast was given
to the people by Aimy. During the greater part of the night, the women
kept dancing a dance which is called 'Kane-Kane,'[AU] and is seldom
performed, except when large parties are met together. While dancing it,
they stood all in a row, several of them holding muskets over their
heads; and their movements were accompanied by the singing of several
of the men; for they have no kind of music in this country.

"My eldest wife's name was Eshou,[AV] and that of my youngest
Epecka.[AW] They were both handsome, mild, and good-tempered. I was now
always obliged to eat with them in the open air, as they would not eat
under the roof of my house, that be