286 ISLAND OF POLA. 
The most luxuriant vegetation covers even its 
highest points. From a considerable elevation 
down the sea-shore, the island presents a charm- 
ing amphitheatre of villages and plantations, 
and confirmed us in the opinion, that the Navi- 
gators’ Islands are the most beautiful in the 
Southern Ocean, and consequently in the whole 
world. 
The shore was thronged with people, some 
of whom pushed their canoes into the sea to 
approach us, and others stood quietly watching 
us as we sailed past. The recurrence of a calm 
enabled the islanders to reach us, and our traf- 
fic with them was carried on in the same man- 
ner as with the natives of the Flat Island. 
To avoid repetition, I shall only remark, that 
they seemed more shy than our yesterday’s 
friends ; that one of them offered us a red paint 
for sale; and that another cheated us. The for- 
mer daubed his face with some of the colour to 
show us its use. Since none of them were 
painted with it, it is probably only used in war, 
or on grand occasions. The cheat remained, 
when the darkness had driven the other island- 
ers homewards, bargaining with us for the price 
