598 Voyage of the Novara. 



inviting us to come on shore and visit the islands. At the 

 close of his address there arose those peculiar reverberating 

 shouts, such as one would have expected rather to hear among 

 the Styrian Alps than from a Papuan of the Solomon Islands ! 

 Upon this the rest of his companions rose likewise, and 

 waving in their long arms a piece of tortoise-shell, they kept 

 shrieking Matte-Matt^ ! for an indefinite period. Not one 

 of them knew a single word of English, nor could we make 

 ourselves intelligible even with a vocabulary of the dialects 

 used in the adjoining islands. Although distant in a direct 

 line N.W. only 60 miles from Stewart's Island and its 

 inhabitants, they spoke an entirely different idiom, and 

 were likewise distinguished widely from any of the latter in 

 colour, make, and physiognomy. Notwithstanding a re- 

 peated and pressing invitation to come on board, they could 

 not be induced to mount the frigate's side, even by the 

 most tempting promises, nor even by presents of linen- 

 stuffs, tobacco, articles of clothing, &c. They seemed to 

 have had but little intercourse with vessels. At length, on 

 our repeated signs, they slowly and shyly came so near that 

 we could throw a rope on board. The most courageous of 

 their number planted his foot on the side rope, but made no 

 attempt to proceed one step further. But we were by this 

 means at all events able to examine these singular beings 

 more closely. They all had oval faces, and broad, flat, long 

 noses. Two were full-grown men, of tall powerful frame, 

 while the rest seemed not above from fourteen to sixteen 



