1773.
April.
ceived the use of, such as hatchets and large spike-nails. At this interview he introduced his whole family to us, consisting of two women, whom we supposed to be his wives; the young woman, a boy of about fourteen years of age, and three smaller children, of which the youngest was at the breast. One of the wives had the excrescence or wen on the upper lip, and was evidently neglected by the man, probably on account of her disagreeable appearance. They conducted us soon after to their habitation, which lay but a few yards within the wood, on a low hill, and consisted of two mean huts, made of a few sticks thatched with unprepared leaves of the flax-plant, and covered with the bark of trees. In return for our presents they parted with several of their ornaments and weapons, particularly the battle-axes, but they did not choose to give us their spears. When we were preparing to re-embark, the man came to the water-side, and presented to Captain Cook a dress made of the flax plant, a belt of weeds, some beads made of a little bird's bones, and some albatross skins. We were at first of opinion that these were only intended as a retribution for what he had received, but he soon undeceived us by shewing a strong desire of possessing one of our boat-cloaks[1]. We were not charitable enough to part with our cloaths, when we knew the defi-
- ↑ Boat-cloaks are commonly of prodigious dimensions and great width, so that the whole body may be wrapped into them several times.
ciency
