Ajjpcarance and Numler of Population. 613 



tlieir caj)tains, must have largely contributed to the present 

 quite peculiar mixture. The practice of leaving upon any- 

 suitable island such natives of the South Sea groups as may 

 take service with English or American whalers, is very 

 common, and sufficiently explains the mode of fii'st settling 

 many of these islands of Oceania. 



When Captain Cheyne, who has greatly contributed to 

 our more intimate knowledge of the islands of the West 

 Pacific, visited Sikayana in September, 1847, the population 

 amounted to 48 men, 73 women, and 50 children, who 

 inhabited a small village lying on the lagoon at the eastern 

 end of the island. Although eleven years had elapsed ere 

 we visited this simple community, their numbers did not 

 appear materially to have increased. 



Considering the powerful, healthy appearance of the 

 natives, it should seem that we must ascribe this stagna- 

 tion in amount of population less to the influence of climate, 

 than to the ravages of the various diseases which are from 

 time to time introduced by foreign ships. Thus we saw one 

 woman whose whole body was deeply marked with small- 

 pox, and presented a living example that the fell scourge of 

 all uncivilized races is no longer unknown in Sikayana. 



At the landing-place we were received by the king of the 

 island, a very aged man with grey hair and silver beard. 

 He sat on the grass close to the shore under the shade of 

 cocoa-nut palms, driving away with his hand the flies which 

 were stinging his naked body. After a brief welcome he 



