Page:Voyage in search of La Perouse, volume 2 (Stockdale).djvu/209

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OF LA PEROUSE.
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the queen; but the moment she perceived him, she made him come to her, and held out to him her right foot, which he took hold of immediately, and placed on the hind part of his head, making a profound bow, in testimony of the respect he owed the queen. He dared not refuse her these honours, though it appeared to us, that he was deeply affected by it. The General had just made him a present of several iron tools, and we observed with pleasure, that he appeared to know the value of this metal, giving it a very decided preference to the bones and volcanic stones, of which most of the hatchets of these islanders are made.

We were afterwards visited by different chiefs, who repeated to us, what several others had already informed us, respecting the reigning family. They employed for the purpose playing cards, with which we furnished them. These they first spread on the table, and then they assigned to each the name of one of the persons of the family; which did not appear to us to bear one common surname, as Captain Cook imagined (that of Futtafaihe, at present the name of the son of Poulaho); for Poulaho's father was named Taibouloutou. Taibouloutou married a wife, whose name was Toobouhou, by whom he had four children; two sons, Poulaho, who succeededhim,