Page:Voyage in search of La Perouse, volume 2 (Stockdale).djvu/130

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102
VOYAGE IN SEARCH
[1793.

26th. Feenou returned the next morning, and spent a few hours on board. He was singularly amused by an ape belonging to one of our gunners, to the slightest actions of which he was attentive.

The tents of the observatory were pitched on the south-west shore of Pangaïmatoo, and to the same place were conveyed stuffs of different colours, with a great many articles of hardware, to exchange for fresh provision. As the inhabitants brought us a great many hogs, the General resolved to make an addition to our salt stores; and Citizen Renard, one of our surgeons, offered to superintend the salting in of the pork.

An enclosure was marked out by a rope, fastened to the ends of some stakes, which were stuck into the ground at four or five yards distance from each other. This barrier was intended to keep out the natives, day and night, above two thousand of whom, most of them from Tongataboo, were already gathered round us.

Futtafaihe, one of the sons of the late King Poulaho, repaired early to the same place. He took upon himself to preserve order among the natives; and accordingly our trade was carried on with the greatest peaceableness: but we saw with regret that, to make himself obeyed, he employed means as barbarous with respect to them,as