empty sardine-box, and a glass bottle marked "Batty and Company's Best Pickles." But we saw no clubs, bows, nor arrows, nor weapons of any kind, excepting two or three old hatchets and sheath-knives, evidently obtained from some visitors like ourselves. On one of the posts I saw a rude figure carved, which had the appearance of being an object of worship. Presently some lads came in, bringing some young cocoanuts and a string of small fish. The latter, by active wriggling and squirming, gave sufficient evidence of having been freshly caught. These were spread before the company, and we were invited to the repast. A draught of the cocoanut water was a luxury not to be despised, but the feast of raw fish was politely declined. Our backwardness, however, was not shared by our hosts; and the sight of the party as they sat upon the ground, each with a piece of cocoanut in one hand, and a nice little fish, held by the tail, in the opposite hand, taking first a mouthful of one and then of the other, was something long to be remembered.

This entertainment being over, we went out for a ramble under the guidance of several of the men. A few steps brought us to a house where many of the women and young children seemed to have congregated. Looking around upon the assembly, with an eye for feminine beauty, and curious to see if the gentler sex were as highly favored as their partners in form and feature, I was much disappointed to remark that most of those present were quite old, and that the very youngest woman in the party was old enough to have been the mother of the damsel of sweet sixteen for whom my eyes were vainly searching. Nevertheless, although pretty well seasoned, the better-looking gave some evidence to the fact that, with the charms of youth, they might have been quite attractive. They were well formed, and had rather pleasing features. Like the men, they were profusely tattooed, though more about the lips and lower part of the face than about the breast. Their only dress

was a kind of girdle, made of cocoanutleaves, so arranged as to hang about the body like a skirt. It was fastened just above the hips; and, though quite short, - hardly more than a foot in length, was very thick, and so made as to stand out in a bell-shaped form, resembling somewhat the upper part of a large crinoline skirt. As they moved about in this remarkable costume, they suggested the figure of a ballet-dancer with a widely spreading, but somewhat abbreviated, skirt. This suggestion must be understood to refer to balletdancers of the more modest sort; as such a comparison with some of the artistes of the present day would be a great injustice to the Oatafu ladies. The entire absence of young women from the company seemed quite remarkable, especially because among the men there was a due proportion of youths and young men ; and it immediately occurred to us that some unpleasant experience with former visitors might have taught the lords of this part of creation the policy of keeping in seclusion the younger and more attractive members of the community. I was subsequently told, by one who had some means of knowing, that such was the truth; and, further, that, only a few years ago, the islanders had put to death a boat's crew of sailors, who had landed from a whale-ship, and given offence by unwelcome familiarity with the women. The account of the killing of these men was remarkable. Being unused to war, and having no weapons, the natives proceeded on this wise: A number of them, unobserved, climbed to the tops of several cocoanut-trees, that stood together, some sixty or seventy feet high. The white men, of course ignorant of the design, were then gradually led along by other natives until they were directly below those who had climbed the trees, when the men aloft threw down cocoanuts upon them with so great and such well-directed force, that they were at once overcome, and then finished by those on the ground. The natives then took the boat, laid the oars

Whatever of truth or fiction there may be in this story, the islanders evidently had no intention of cocoanutting us, at least in the same way; for we soon discovered that the greater part of the men were engaged in loading up their canoes with fish, cocoanuts, and shells, and were setting off to the schooner with the desire of trading; and before long we were left with only a few men and several of the women, who joined us on our stroll about the village.

This little strip of coral-made land we found to be about six hundred feet wide, forming an irregularly shaped ring some ten or fifteen miles in circumference. It was composed simply of the accumulations of coral fragments heaped up by the waves on the reef, and was not over eight or ten feet high. In some places, a thin coral soil lay upon the surface; in others, only the blackened and weathered pieces of coral, slowly disintegrating, and forming a kind of gravel. Nevertheless, the whole surface, from the outer to the inner beach, bore a luxuriant growth of vegetation. Cocoanut-trees were very abundant. There seemed to be no sources of fresh water on the island. On some islands of this description fresh water may be obtained by digging down a few feet through the loosely accumulated material to the hard bottom, where a thin stratum of fresh water, the result of rains, is found, and may be scooped up without difficulty. But on this island I saw no evidences of such a supply. The natives showed us their method of collecting rain-water by cutting out an excavation in the trunk of an old cocoanut-tree just above the ground. As the tree stands slightly leaning in the direction of the tradewind, the water falling upon it trickles

down the trunk upon the lower side, and collects at the bottom in the place so hollowed out for its reception. We saw a number of trees so prepared for catching water. Each excavation might have held four or five gallons. But the natives do not depend on this source of water for subsistence. The cocoanut-tree, which supplies them with food, gives them also drink. The young nuts are filled with a thin, watery liquid, which quenches thirst; while the older nuts are their chief resource for food. The uses of the cocoanut-tree are truly wonderful; and in its relations to human life it is certainly without a parallel among trees. Here it is both meat and drink, — and more. It furnishes all the material for the islanders' houses and canoes. Their scanty dress is from the same source. The nutshells are useful as containers and drinking-vessels, while calabashes and other utensils are made from the wood. The fibre of the husk supplies the material for cordage, matting, fish-nets, and lines. The oil, pressed from the ripe nuts, furnishes the evening light, besides supplying other wants. Thus the tree not only sustains the life, but is the source from which every physical need of the islander is supplied.

To these people this little coral island is all the known world. They probably possess less knowledge of other portions of this planet than we do of other planets. They knew, indeed, of the existence of a neighboring island, like their own, and whence they or their ancestors had probably come; but many of the living generation had never seen it. It is difficult clearly to conceive of the moral and intellectual condition of a people whose ideas have never expanded beyond the limits of a coral island; who have no conception of a mountain or a river, of a surface of land greater than their own little belt, or of a slope higher than their own beach; who have but a single mineral,

without an idea of tilling the soil; whose only arts are the taking of fish, and the making of houses, canoes, and their few utensils; whose unwritten language is only adapted to the expression of the simplest ideas; who have never gone beyond their island horizon and returned again; and whose only intercourse with other human beings has been through the rare and brief visits of passing vessels. After a somewhat extended walk, we returned to the vicinity of the houses, where one or two more of the younger ladies favored us with their company. We, of course, considered this a pleasing indication that they were gradually overcoming the fear, or the restraint, that had kept them away at first. Some of the women prepared to cook a large fish for our benefit; and, while this was going on, the young ones devoted themselves entirely to our entertainment by singing what, I dare say, was a very jolly song, and finally commencing a dance. How this would have ended, if no interruption had occurred, it is impossible to say. Quite likely, one after another, the hidden beauties would have slipped out from their places of concealment to join in the festivities; and, when the canoes returned, the men might, perhaps, have found the whole troop of young things performing the "Black Crook," or some other equally impressive presentation of the Terpsichorean art; but, unhappily, just as one of our new friends was in the midst of an extravagant pas seul, a party of a dozen men, who had come ashore unnoticed, suddenly arrived upon the ground, and put an injunction on further proceedings. Moreover, they brought a note from our nervous captain, saying that the vessel was overrun by the natives, who, he feared, would soon begin some mischief; and imploring us, by all the regard we had for his comfort, to come off at once, and let him get under way. We therefore reluctantly took leave of our island friends; and, launching our boat safely through the surf, soon regained the vessel. The captain had spent an un

easy day. Unwilling to put the least trust in the natives, he would gladly have kept his vessel out of their reach, and so not permitted them to come on board; but while we were ashore, he was equally desirous, for our sakes, to keep on good terms. However, as we were now ready to go, and had a good breeze, we gave them notice to clear the deck. The king, who remained to the last, went over the side, I am sorry to say, in quite an unamiable mood, because, having ground up an old hatchet for him, we firmly declined giving him the grindstone. But he recovered his good-nature before we got beyond hearing distance; and we caught our last glimpse of him as he stood up in his canoe, waving the royal insignia with which he had welcomed us in the morning, and shouting, with his companions, an affectionate farewell.

Since the date of this visit I have met with some information that throws a little light on the previous history of the island and its neighbors of the same group.

The island of Oatafu was discovered by Commodore Byron, during his voyage round the world, on June 24, 1765. He called it the Duke of York's Island. A party landed to gather cocoanuts, and returned with the report that there were no indications that the island had ever been inhabited. It would thus appear that there were no people there a century ago. He did not see the other islands of the group. These are Nunkunono, or the Duke of Clarence; and Fakaafo, or Bowditch.

The Missionary Chronicle, the published record of the London Missionary Society, printed, in 1847, a letter from one of the resident missionaries at the port of Apia, Upolu, one of the Samoan (or Navigators') Group, dated December, 1846, relating that a whale-ship, just arrived at that place, had picked up, a few days before, a double canoe, containing eleven natives in a very exhausted condition. Their language proved to be somewhat similar to the Samoan, and from their account they were evidently natives of the Union

re

Group. They had started in their canoe, with twenty other canoes, to go from Nunkunono to Oatafu. A violent gale had blown this unfortunate party off, and they could not tell whether the others reached their destination safely or not. They had been drifting between two and three months, subsisting scantily on cocoanuts, and perhaps some fish, catching rain-water in their open mouths. The letter stated that they would be returned when opportunity offered, and that Samoan converts would accompany them as religious teachers. This statement accounts for the presence of the "missionary ferred to on a foregoing page. We visited the other islands of the group, Nunkunono and Fakaafo; but our experience there was so much like that already related, that a detailed account would involve too much repetition. I prefer, therefore, to describe a visit to the island of Manihiki, or Humphrey's, which with its neighbor, Rakaanga, or Rierson's, lies some six or seven hundred miles east of the Union Group. These islands closely resemble those already described in natural features, but the combined influences of intercourse with foreigners and the teachings of Christian missionaries have wrought some strange and interesting effects among the people.

We sighted the island of Manihiki at daylight. It lay ten or fifteen miles distant, the broken line of tree-tops just skirting the horizon. Unfortunately the wind had died entirely away, and the flapping sails and lazily rocking vessel promised us a tedious day of waiting for a breeze. Discontented with this, we determined to set out at once in our boat for the island, and leave the captain and crew to bring the schooner up as soon after as possible. Accordingly, prepared with lunch and fresh water, we embarked, and, after three or four hours' rowing, reached the shore, and landed upon one of the little islets of the atoll.

We had no previous information concerning the island, and did not even know whether it was inhabited or not.

After spending some time on the islet on which we had landed, we brought our boat through the channel from the ocean side to the inner lake, and prepared for a little sail on the lagoon. After a short cruise, we observed on a distant part of the shore what appeared to be a house; and, while looking at it, discovered on the beach a large party of people, and several canoes filled with men just setting off to meet us.

A few minutes later they were closely approaching us, and if we, at first, had any apprehensions of an unfriendly reception, they were removed as soon as the men came near enough to be distinctly visible. They were all dressed in shirts, pantaloons, and straw hats, and their amiable faces bespoke great pleasure at seeing visitors. As soon as we were within hail, they began to speak; and we were glad to discover that our interpreter could communicate much more readily with them than with the natives of the Union Group.

We also made another discovery, which not only enlightened us considerably regarding the people and their condition, but also helped to assure us of a kind welcome.

About a thousand miles from this island there is another large island called Fanning's, abounding in cocoanuts, and uninhabited until recently, when an Englishman took possession of it, and began the manufacture of cocoanut - oil. This we had known before, but we now learned that his necessary laborers were hired from this island and its neighbor; it being his custom to take up a party of men, women, and children once in a year, and then return to exchange them for a fresh lot. He pays their labor in calico and such clothing as they commonly wear, pantaloons, shirts, and straw hats,- besides tobacco, knives, and other implements. As this had been in operation several years, most of the inhabitants had been engaged in the work at one time or another, and their employer's name had become a household word.

As we claimed acquaintance with the

gentleman, we were at once received as his "brothers." They gave us a hearty welcome, and pointed to the shore, where, they said, the missionary was waiting to receive us; and a part of the company at once paddled off to precede us with a report.

On reaching the shore, we found nearly the whole population of the village, some two or three hundred people, assembled to receive us. Most of the grown people were dressed, the men in shirts or pantaloons or both, and the women in loose calico robes or gowns. A few of the older and more conservative people, however, seemed to look upon such articles of dress as innovations of the rising and progressive generation, and such held fast to their old-fashioned cocoanut ideas. The young children generally were naked.

The "missionary" came forward to do the honors. He proved to be a native of Raratonga, a large and high island of the Hervey Group, some five or six hundred miles away, where the English missionaries have long been established, and under whose teachings he had become a convert. Having

been qualified by them to teach others, he had come thence to Manihiki.some ten years before, and had become a very important member of their society.

He received us with much dignity in the midst of the assembled people, all of whom pressed forward to shake hands; and, when these greetings were over, we were invited to the king's house, where his Majesty was expecting us.

Led by the missionary, and followed by the people, we walked along a wide, well-shaded avenue which crossed the belt of land at a right angle to the two beaches. We soon reached the "Palace," a house similar in construction to those already described, in which we found the king sitting on a high-backed bench, something like an old-fashioned settle. He was a good-natured old fellow, perhaps sixty years of age. He wore a blue woollen shirt and blue pantaloons, such as are common among us for overalls." Before him was a

roughly made table, a specimen of native workmanship. He gave us places beside him on the "throne," and cocoanuts in all their various edible forms were set before us.

After a short interview, during which he invited us to spend the night ashore, as it was already too late to pull back to the vessel, we went out for a walk. To our surprise we came directly upon some stone buildings of very considerable dimensions, built of coral beach and reef rock, and plastered over with lime, made from burning the same rock. The doors and window-spaces were arched, and the latter furnished with roughly made blinds, though without sash. The first of these was pointed out as the church, and over the door was written "Ziona."

Opposite the church was another stone building, which proved to be the missionary's house. Farther on, a third was in process of construction, intended to be the school-house; and opposite the last was a large building, not of stone, but of the primitive style, which served as a hall of assembly for public purposes, and also as a place of confinement for offenders. These four buildings formed the four corners of the two avenues of the village; and at this point we found the cross street, running parallel to the sea-beach, and more than a quarter of a mile long, paved like the other in the middle, well shaded, and having on either side a long row of dwellings. These houses were of the simple native style of construction, and seemed to be neatly kept. About many of the houses were pigs and fowls, which had been introduced upon the island some time before. Before the doors the preparations for the evening meal, or rather the evening cocoanuts, were now going on, some of the people having satisfied their curiosity sufficiently to be able to resume their domestic duties.

During our walk we were taken to see some of their canoes of the larger, sea-going sort. Small canoes for ordinary uses were plenty enough; but these larger ones, which are not often required, were hauled up, and put under