574 Voyage of the Novara. 



malady, tlie natives are greatly afflicted with scurvy and 

 intermittent fever. Most of their infants too suffer from 

 Yaws* [Framhoesia), a disgusting eruption, called by the 

 natives " Keutscli^'' which, however, disappears when the 

 child has attained about its third or fourth year. The 

 marks left by this malady when cicatrized might easily 

 be mistaken for those of inoculation. 



The Nannekin, although the king of his tribe, nevertheless 

 seemed on the whole to exercise but little influence over his 

 subjects. Thus, for example, we were eye-witnesses of how 

 he vainly attempted to induce two native boys to carry our 

 bananas as far as our place of disembarkation. On the other 

 hand, in all that concerned tradini? with forei":ners he 

 seemed to be thoroughly alive to his own interest. One 

 native who was driving a bargain with us for something, was 

 informed forthwith of the value which the Nannekin as- 

 signed to it. 



Money is as yet but little used at Puynipet as a medium of 

 exchange, only the whites resident there and the chiefs take 

 a few English and United States coins ; and many a native 

 would generally not part for a silver dollar from an object 

 which he will readily give for a piece of chewing tobacco or 

 a common knife. The most useful articles for barter are 

 pieces of bright-coloured calico, red shirts, hatchets, knives, 



* Yaws is a very common disease among the lower class of the western and 

 eastern coas^population of England. It is unknown almost in Ireland, where the 

 poorer classes rarely eat fish. 



