LIFE IN THE SOUTH-SEA ISLANDS. 205 



until comparatively recently. They are well educated, can all read, 

 and are most persistent letter-writers. No present is more acceptable 

 to them than a few sheets of paper and some pens. 



Some of the islands of the group were nearly depopulated twenty 

 years ago by Peruvian kidnappers, who carried off many natives to 

 work in Peru. As a general rule the population of each island is very 

 small — never, as far as I am aware, exceeding a few hundreds. All are 

 governed by a constitutional sovereign and a kaupuli, or parliament. 

 The form of government, in its present state, is to a great extent the 

 work of the missionaries. At Vaitupu I noticed in the kaupuli house 

 some curious couches, carved out of single pieces of wood, with four 

 legs and a solid block like a pillow at one end. To my inquiries it was 

 replied that as some members of the assembly are fond of long speeches, 

 the debates are occasionally protracted, and wearied legislators get 

 rather sleepy, so the couches are provided to enable them to slumber 

 in comfort. All the natives wear European clothes of some sort. The 

 men usually put on at least a shirt ; the women's dress is peculiar. 

 They wear a long garment of colored calico, tight round the neck, and 

 reaching in ungirt looseness to the heels. On their heads they put a 

 curious high-crowned hat, cross-laced with bright ribbons, exactly re- 

 sembling the head-gear of a brigand in the opera of " Fra Diavolo." 

 Ladies of a certain age in the Archipelago are inclined to embonpoint ; 

 and a crowd of portly dames streaming out of church in their flowing 

 calicoes and brigand hats, always many sizes too small for them, is a 

 sight not soon to be forgotten. 



The Gilbert-Islanders are only partially Christianized. The south- 

 ern portion of the group is under the London Mission ; some of the 

 other islands are under American missionaries, who, however, do not 

 reside in them. Like the Ellice Islands, these also were once governed 

 by kings ; but in all the southern part regal government has been 

 abolished, and a sort of federal republic has been established in sev- 

 eral islands. The natives seem to have an innate capacity for parlia- 

 mentary institutions. I have been present at several debates among 

 them, some of which were so far of importance that on their issue de- 

 pended whether we should be at peace or at war with the inhabitants. 

 Nothing could exceed the regularity and decorum of the proceedings, 

 and some of the speakers were assuredly fluent, and apparently elo- 

 quent. The islanders are capital sailors, fearlessly visiting distant 

 islands in canoes of large size, not dug out of single trees but built 

 up of pieces. One very remarkable feature of the islands is their dense 

 population. This is especially striking, as the islands are extremely 

 barren. 



The weapons of the Gilbert-Islanders are curious wooden swords 

 and halberts, studded with shark's teeth. They make also complete 

 suits of armor out of cocoanut-fiber, stiff hauberks, cuisses of matting, 

 and close-fitting helmets, like those of the Crusaders. Fire-arms have 



