We found the inhabitants of this island not nearly so friendly as other
savages we had met with. The men were larger, and bore a ferocious
aspect. The chief wore a necklace of whales' teeth, his hair frizzled
into a mop, which stood out from his head, coloured to a reddish-brown.
His skin was a light brown, with no tattoo marks upon it, but shiny, as
if rubbed with oil. He carried a club and spear of elaborate
workmanship, and wore a cloth petticoat made from the bark of a tree,
and painted with some skill in its design. His followers were
similarly, but not so strikingly, clad, the women wearing feathers in
their hair, and a peculiar leaf from a tree, which looked like white
satin. Altogether this race appeared to be possessed of a far higher
state of civilization than the people in Terra Australis. They were,
however, openly addicted to cannibalism, and made no secret of this
abominable practice.
These natives did not display any hostility at our landing, nor did
they express any surprise at the presents we made them of beads and
bright cloth, although they accepted what we gave them with avidity.
We stayed at this island for nearly two months, during which time we
learnt something of the customs of the people, and I was able, after a
while, to understand some of their language.
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