The Boat In Which We Were Desired To
Remain Being Landed Before The Chief's House, Which Stood Close To The
Shore, Five Young Plaintain Trees, Which Are Their Emblems Of Peace, Were
Brought On Board Separately, And With Some Ceremony.
Three young pigs, with
their ears ornamented with cocoa-nut fibres, accompanied the first three;
and a dog, the fourth.
Each had its particular name and purpose, rather too
mysterious for us to understand. Lastly, the chief sent to me the
inscription engraved on a small piece of pewter, which I left with him in
July 1769. It was in the same bag I had made for it, together with a piece
of counterfeit English coin, and a few beads, put in at the same time;
which shews how well he had taken care of the whole. When they had made an
end of putting into the boat the things just mentioned, our guide, who
still remained with us, desired us to decorate the young plaintain trees
with looking-glasses, nails, medals, beads, &c. &c. This being accordingly
done, we landed with these in our hands, and were conducted towards the
chief, through the multitude; they making a lane, as it were, for us to
pass through. We were made to sit down a few paces short of the chief, and
our plantains were then taken from us, and, one by one, laid before him, as
the others had been laid before us. One was for Eatoua (or God), the
second for the Earee (or king), and the third for Tiyo (or
friendship). This being done, I wanted to go to the king, but was told that
he would come to me; which he accordingly did, fell upon my neck, and
embraced me.
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