428 Transactions. 



But it was easy to see that these two astute chiefs were only striking the 

 side of the canoe. After having played this farce for some time, Bangui's 

 paddle broke, and he nearly fell over ; and he, calling to me, said that he 

 had nearly killed the man, and demanded if I was satisfied. I responded 

 in the affirmative, laughing to myself at the ruse of these savages — a ruse, 

 moreover, of which examples are to be found amongst many people more 

 advanced in civilisation. 



Rangui and his companions had often urgently demanded lead to make 

 balls with, a request which I was not able to comply with, because we had 

 hardly enough for our own use. Without doubt, it was impossible for 

 that chief to resist the temptation of possessing such a large piece at once, 

 and it was by his orders the lead had been taken. Seeing the larceny 

 discovered, he had not hesitated to leave the slave to bare the blame, and 

 resolved to appease my anger by a pretence of giving me satisfaction. 



The feeble and variable wind only allowed us to advance very slowly, 

 with a depth of from 5 to 6 fathoms, along the pretty island of Wai-Heke. 

 In approaching the pass, I sent M. Guilbert to somid the Pakii Channel, 

 and presently the red flag which he hoisted announced that he had found 

 less than 4 fathoms. I then decided to proceed along a channel to port, 

 and which my pilot Makara assured me was practicable for our corvette. 

 This new channel has not more than half a league of width, and is also 

 confined by an islet (Takoupou) [Takupu], situated towards its middle. 

 I passed by the northern arm at less than two cables' length from that rock, 

 and not having for a long time more than 4 fathoms under the keel, which 

 caused me some anxiety. Presently the depth increased to 7 and 8 fathoms, 

 the breeze became fresher from the M^est, and we sailed rapidly along these 

 unknown channels. A pleasant vegetation decorated their shores, oft'ering 

 to us at each instant the most agreeable effects of perspective. It was 

 thus we navigated during nearly two hours, by islands, sometimes high, 

 broken, and covered with magnificent forests, sometimes lower, and car- 

 peted only with a more modest verdure. 



There is no doubt that it would be easy to find in these agreeable islands 

 places well suited for settlement. I remarked particularly on the shores of 

 Wai-Heke places that seemed to me admirably suited for such establish- 

 ments. It is vain to repeat that I deeply regretted having to leave these 

 beautiful places without power to explore them more attentively, and 

 without levying a new tribute from all the natural productions. But time 

 pressed, and other work called us far from these coasts. 



I must say that our guide, Makara, in that difficult navigation, showed 

 a coolness, an attention, and an intelligence which would have done honour 

 to a European pilot. I never found his directions at fault ; it was a spec- 

 tacle as new as it was interesting to us to see a savage, a cannibal, take us 

 through these solitary channels like an attentive and devoted pilot. He 

 gave me the names of the islands and adja ent lands with much complais- 

 ance. If I had been better able to understand his language, no doubt I 

 should have acquired many important details. He informed me that it 

 certainly was the god of the white people who had killed Houpa [Haupa] 

 and the other inhabitants of Shouraki. When I asked who was the god of 

 the white man, he pointed to the binnacle ; and it was not for the first time 

 these Natives had accorded divine honours to that singular machine, so 

 much above the intellectual sphere of a poor savage. 



At 3 p.m. we entered into the Shouraki Bay, a lit le to the south of the 

 place which Cook named " The Isles of the West." With a unanimous 



