The Whole South East Corner Of The Bay Is Filled With A Flat Reef Of Coral, Which Is Overflowed At Low Water." - G.F.

[2] "The women and children, though they brought us several dainties, were notwithstanding so extremely timorous, that if we only fixed our eyes upon them, they instantly ran away, to the great entertainment of the men.

However, their coming so near us, was sufficient proof that we had made great progress towards gaining their confidence. We observed some of them who had a smile on their countenances, but in general they looked gloomy and melancholy. Whenever we presented a bead, a nail, or ribbon to any of the people, they refused to touch it, but desired us to lay it down, and then took it up in a leaf. Whether this was owing to some superstitious notions, or to a fancied idea of cleanliness, or of civility, must remain a matter of doubt." - G.F.

[3] "He, as well as all his countrymen, had not the same facility of pronunciation as the Mallecollese; we were therefore obliged to tell him our names, modified according to the softer organs of the Otaheitans. His features were rather handsome, his eyes large and very lively; and the whole countenance expressed good humour, sprightliness, and acuteness.

To mention only a single instance of his ingenuity; it happened that my father and Captain Cook, on comparing their vocabularies, discovered that each had collected a different word to signify the sky; they appealed to him to know which of the two expressions was right; he presently held out one hand, and applied it to one of the words, then moving the other hand under it, he pronounced the second word; intimating that the upper was properly the sky, and the lower the clouds which moved under it.

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