the package of things we had brought from the ship, I unrolled
the cotton cloth, and holding it in one hand picked with the
other a twig from the bushes beside me, and telling Toby to
follow my example, I broke through the covert and advanced,
waving the branch in token of peace towards the shrinking forms
before me. They were a boy and a girl, slender and graceful, and
completely naked, with the exception of a slight girdle of bark,
from which depended at opposite points two of the russet leaves
of the bread-fruit tree. An arm of the boy, half screened from
sight by her wild tresses, was thrown about the neck of the girl,
while with the other he held one of her hands in his; and thus
they stood together, their heads inclined forward, catching the
faint noise we made in our progress, and with one foot in
advance, as if half inclined to fly from our presence.

As we drew near, their alarm evidently increased. Apprehensive
that they might fly from us altogether, I stopped short and
motioned them to advance and receive the gift I extended towards
them, but they would not; I then uttered a few words of their
language with which I was acquainted, scarcely expected that they
would understand me, but to show that we had not dropped from the
clouds upon them. This appeared to give them a little
confidence, so I approached nearer, presenting the cloth with one
hand, and holding the bough with the other, while they slowly
retreated. At last they suffered us to approach so near to them
that we were enabled to throw the cotton cloth across their
shoulders, giving them to understand that it was theirs, and by a
variety of gestures endeavouring to make them understand that we
entertained the highest possible regard for them.