TO THE SOUTH SEA ISLA-"?r»S. 115 



mens of their race ; but on the islands where few white men reside, and 

 these composed ahnost exclusively of missionaries, the natives are 

 simple, gentle and virtuous. I have never been more kindly or hospita- 

 bly treated than in the houses of these primitive people residing on is- 

 lands possessing but little to tempt foreigners to form settlements. They 

 have always been ready to aid me in collecting birds, shells, kc. in 

 many cases, not even expecting remuneration for their trouble. 



They are most valuable adjuncts to the naturalist and collector. Be- 

 mg so truly amphibious in their habits, they serve the conchologist ad- 

 mirably in place of a dredge; diving into the sea, among the rocks, and 

 searching the bottom for shells with wonderful pertinacity and success. 

 They are also very successful bird-catchers. In the island of Oahu 

 they procure the gum of a tree which they call " Tu-iM?'," and make of 

 it a tenacious paste by moistening it with water. They smear little 

 sticks with this paste and plunge ihcm into the large pods of the bana- 

 na, which contain a sweet juice of which the bird is extremely fond. 

 The bird alights upon the gummed stick, and his feet are in an instant so 

 firmly glued to it, that he cannot escape. By this mode, dozens of 

 beautiful birds were brought to me almost daily, all alive and uninjured. 

 The boys of the Island of Kauai pursue a different, and even more in- 

 genious plan to effect the same object. They lay themselves flat upon 

 their backs on the ground, and cover their whole bodies with bushes, 

 and the campanulate flowers of which the birds are in search. One of 

 these flowers is then held by the lower portion of the tube between the 

 finger and thumb ; the little bird inserts his long, curved bill to the base 

 of the flower, when it is immediately seized by the fingers of the boy, 

 and the little flutterer disappears beneath the mass of bushes. 



I have mentioned that the natives of these islands were generally 

 well formed and graceful in their persons. This observation applies 

 only to the common people, who use athletic exercise, and do not yield 

 to the enervating influence of the climate. The Chiefs are, almost with- 

 out an exception, enormously fat : women as well as men often weigh- 

 ing from 350 to 400 pounds. Indeed obesity is considered by them 

 one of the greatest beauties ; but it belongs, by immemorial custom, ex- 

 clusively to those of high rank. If a plebeian individual should unfor- 

 tunately, by indolence or excessive eating, become very fat, it is his du- 

 ty to commence the process of reduction without loss of time; and if 

 he should fail in his efforts, he finds it safest to pack up bag and bag- 

 gage and retire to some other island where the eyes of royalty may not 

 be pained by gazing on the counterfeit. The food of the islanders con- 

 sists, principally, of an article called Foe, which is made by beating the 



