177^. ROUND THE WORLD. 63 



willingness to permit me to look into the basket. 

 He wore round his neck, fastened to a string, two or 

 three locks of human hair j and a woman present had 

 several about her neck. I offered something in ex- 

 change for them ; but they gave me to understand 

 they could not part with them, as it was the hair of 

 the person who lay in the hut. Thus I was led to 

 believe, that these people dispose of their dead in a 

 manner similar to that of Otaheite. The same cus- 

 tom of wearing the hair is observed by the people of 

 that island, and also by the New Zealanders. The 

 former make Tamau of the hair of their deceased 

 friends, and the latter make ear-rings and necklaces 

 of their teeth. 



Near most of their large houses were fixed upright 

 in the ground the stems of four cocoa-nut trees, in 

 a square position, about three feet from each other. 

 Some of our gentlemen, who first saw them, were 

 inclined to believe they were thus placed on a re- 

 ligious account ; but I was now satisfied that it was 

 for no other purpose but to hang cocoa-nuts on to 

 dry. For when I asked, as well as I could, the use 

 of them, a man took me to one, loaded with cocoa- 

 nuts from the bottom to the top ; and no words 

 could have informed me better. Their situation is 

 well chosen for this use, as most of their large houses 

 are built in an open airy place, or where the wind 

 has a free passage, from whatever direction it blows. 

 Near most, if not all of them, is a large tree, or two, 

 whose spreading branches afford an agreeable retreat 

 from the scorching sun. This part of the island was 

 well cultivated, open and airy ; the plantations were 

 laid out by line, abounding with plantains, sugar-canes, 

 yams, and other roots, and stocked with fruit trees. 

 In our walk we met with our old friend Paowang, 

 who, with some others, accompanied us to the water- 

 side, and brought with them, as a present, a few 

 yams and cocoa-nuts. 



On the 15th, having finished wooding and watering, 



