[4] "The cordial reception which we met with, was such as might have been expected from a people well acquainted with our good intentions, and accustomed to the transitory visits of European ships. But these kind islanders had never seen Europeans among them, and could only have heard of Tasman, who visited the adjacent island, by imperfect tradition. Nothing was therefore more conspicuous in their whole behaviour than an open, generous disposition, free from any mean distrust. This was confirmed by the appearance of a great number of women in the crowd, covered from the waist downwards, whose smiles and looks welcomed us to the shore."--G.F. [5] "They beat time to the music by snapping the second finger and thumb, and holding the three remaining fingers upright. Their voices were very sweet and mellow, and they sung in parts. When they had gone, they were relieved by others, who sung the same tune, and at last they joined together in chorus."--G.F. [6] "The inhabitants seemed to be of a more active and industrious disposition than those of Otaheite and instead of following us in great crowds wherever we went, left us entirely by ourselves, unless we entreated them to accompany us. In that case we could venture to go with our pockets open, unless we had nails in them, upon which they set so great a value, that they could not always resist the temptation. We passed through more than ten adjacent plantations or gardens, separated by inclosures, communicating with each other by means of doors. In each of them we commonly met with a house, of which the inhabitants were absent. Their attention to separate their property seemed to argue a higher degree of civilization than we had expected. Their arts, manufactures, and music, were all more cultivated, complicated, and elegant, than at the Society Isles. But, in return, the opulence, or rather luxury, of the Otaheiteans seemed to be much greater. We saw but few hogs and fowls here; and that great support of life, the bread-tree, appeared to be very scarce. Yams, therefore, and other roots, together with bananoes, are their principal article of diet. Their clothing, too, compared to that of Otaheite, was less plentiful, or at least not converted into such an article of luxury as at that island. Lastly, their houses, though neatly constructed, and always placed in a fragrant shrubbery, were less roomy and convenient."--G.F. [7] "We were accosted with caresses by old and young, by men and women. They hugged us very heartily, and frequently kissed our hands, laying them on their breast, with the most expressive looks of affection that can be imagined."--G.F. SECTION II. _The Arrival of the Ships at Amsterdam; a Description of a Place of Worship; and an Account of the Incidents which happened while we remained at that Island._