Page:Voyage in search of La Perouse, volume 2 (Stockdale).djvu/153

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March.]
OF LA PEROUSE.
125

Feenou came on board very early in the morning, with Toobou, the king's brother. These two chiefs invited the General to a feast, which the King intended to give him the next day but one, in the island of Tongataboo. Having requested us to let them see the effects of our swivels and carronades, we gratified them with a specimen, at which they showed equal marks of affright and admiration.

When we arrived on shore, we observed with surprise, that the market was very well supplied, though there were not a fourth as many of the natives present, as on the preceding days. Every thing there was going on with the greatest order.

The same officer (Lagrandière) had still the management of the traffic with them for victualling the ships. He was singularly delighted with the thought of having procured some ends of iron hoops, to be cut into the shape of carpenter's chissels, and of having turned them to good account in dealing with the natives. Yet we had on board a great number of very good tools, which had been brought from Europe, to give them; and we could not conceive how it was possible, that the satisfaction he must have felt at procuring them durable instruments, should not have been of more weight with him, than any other consideration.

Traversing