ships, though the General had given orders to oblige them to keep off; but they disposed of their merchandize to better advantage here, than at the market on shore: for there little was sold but eatables, the price of which was fixed; while on board they frequently received a high price for objects of fancy. Besides, these canoes carried on another sort of trade, still more rigorously prohibited by the orders of General Dentrecasteaux: but the sentries not being very strict in this point, many young girls easily evaded their notice, and were creeping in at the port-holes every moment.
We went ashore very early at the nearest place, where we had the pleasure to see that these islanders were in possession of the sugar-cane. They offered us some very large ones, which we accepted. They sold us several birds, and among others a beautiful species of lory, which they informed us had been brought to them from Feejee; a fine species of dove, remarkable for a red spot on the head, and known by the name of columba purpurata; the Philippine rail, rallus philippensis; the pigeon called columba pacifica, &c. Several had the lizard known by the appellation of lacerta amboinensis, which they offered us as very good to eat.
The natives, who followed us, were very troublesome to us by their number, and even by theireagerness
