After a short preliminary palaver, a feast of baked pigs and various
roots was spread before us; of which we partook sparingly, and then
proceeded to business. The captain stated his object in visiting the
island, regretted that there had been a slight misunderstanding during
the last visit, and hoped that no ill-will was borne by either party,
and that a satisfactory trade would be accomplished.
Romata answered that he had forgotten there had been any differences
between them, protested that he was delighted to see his friends again,
and assured them they should have every assistance in cutting and
embarking the wood. The terms were afterwards agreed on, and we rose to
depart. All this conversation was afterwards explained to me by Bill,
who understood the language pretty well.
Romata accompanied us on board, and explained that a great chief from
another island was then on a visit to him, and that he was to be
ceremoniously entertained on the following day. After begging to be
allowed to introduce him to us, and receiving permission, he sent his
canoe ashore to bring him off. At the same time, he gave orders to
bring on board his two favourites, a cock and a paroquet. While the
canoe was gone on this errand, I had time to regard the savage chief
attentively. He was a man of immense size, with massive but beautifully
moulded limbs and figure, only parts of which, the broad chest, and
muscular arms, were uncovered; for although the lower orders generally
wore no other clothing than a strip of cloth called _maro_ round
their loins, the chief, on particular occasions, wrapped his person hi
voluminous folds of a species of native cloth, made from the bark of
the Chinese paper-mulberry.
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