“This I readily did:  upon which my hair was immediately cut with an oyster shell in the front, in the same manner as the chiefs have theirs cut; and several of the chiefs made me a present of some mats, and promised to send me some pigs the next day.  I now put on a mat covered over with red ochre and oil, such as was worn by the other chiefs; and my head and face were also anointed with the same composition by a chief’s daughter, who was entirely a stranger to me.  I received, at the same time, a handsome stone mery, which I afterwards always carried with me.

“Aimy now advised me to take two or three wives, it being the custom for the chiefs to have as many as they think proper; and I consented to take two.  About sixty women were then brought up before me, none of whom, however, pleased me, and I refused to have any of them; on which Aimy told me that I was ‘tabooed’ for three days, at the expiration of which time he would take me with him to his brother’s camp, where I should find plenty of women that would please me.

“Accordingly we went to his brother’s at the time appointed, when several women were brought up before us; but, having cast my eyes upon Aimy’s two daughters, who had followed us, and were sitting on the grass, I went up to the eldest, and said that I would choose her.

“On this she immediately screamed and ran away; but two of the natives, having thrown off their mats, pursued her, and soon brought her back, when, by the direction of Aimy, I went and took hold of her hand.  The two natives then let her go, and she walked quietly with me to her father, but hung down her head, and continued laughing.  Aimy now called his other daughter to him, who also came laughing; and he then advised me to take them both.

“I then turned to them, and asked them if they were willing to go with me, when they both answered, I pea, or I pair, which signifies, ’Yes, I believe so.’[AT]

“On this, Aimy told them they were ‘tabooed’ to me, and directed us all three to go home together, which we did, followed by several of the natives.  We had not been many minutes at our own village, when Aimy, and his brother also, arrived; and in the evening, a great feast was given to the people by Aimy.  During the greater part of the night, the women kept dancing a dance which is called ’Kane-Kane,’[AU] and is seldom performed, except when large parties are met together.  While dancing it, they stood all in a row, several of them holding muskets over their heads; and their movements were accompanied by the singing of several of the men; for they have no kind of music in this country.

“My eldest wife’s name was Eshou,[AV] and that of my youngest Epecka.[AW] They were both handsome, mild, and good-tempered.  I was now always obliged to eat with them in the open air, as they would not eat under the roof of my house, that being contrary to the customs of their country.  When away for any length of time, I used to take Epecka along with me, and leave Eshou at home.