NARRATIVE OF THE CRUISE 



243 



of evenly spaced lights. These gave the effect of lighted piers 

 running in absurd fashion out into the bay at all angles, and in 

 places crossing the main channel itself. We found later that these 

 were fishing-canoes tied bow to stern, each carrying a lantern or 

 torch. 



In an attempt to clear these unexpected obstructions, we were 

 within an ace of piling up on the jagged coral head of Aua Reef, 

 when amidst warning shouts of natives ashore, the loud voice of 



A Samoan House under Construction 



These houses which look so simple when completed are really very complicated as no 

 nails are used and the thousands of joints being made with sennit, a string braided from 

 coconut-husk fibers — the view is from Churchill. 



the naval boarding officer who had rushed out in his launch, gave 

 the command "to port." So "to port" went the helm, swinging 

 our bow to starboard as with every good sailing-ship. Unhappily, 

 in the Navy the command means "head the ship to port," the 

 exact opposite. Only the fact that we had good steerage-way, 

 and that our vessel was so short, prevented what seemed an in- 

 evitable shipwreck; for only a few yards away lay the reef to our 

 right. 



