300 A PROCESSION OF ISLANDERS. 
occasioned. This religious rite lasted through 
the night, but with the morning’s dawn my 
friends had again disappeared, and the stillness 
of death prevailed as before. 
We weighed anchor, and endeavoured by 
tacking to reach Otdia; and in so doing, often 
came very close upon the little picturesque 
bright green islands which studded the spark- 
ling lake. The fresh morning breeze wafted 
aromatic odours towards us; but the huts of 
the inhabitants stood empty and _ desolate. 
When we were near Otdia, we again descried 
canoes sailing as close as possible to the shore. 
The population was busy on the strand, but no 
one seemed rightly to know what should be 
done in this alarming crisis. We next saw a 
long procession of islanders, bearing branches 
of palm as symbols of peace, taking advantage 
of the ebb-tide to cross the reef towards Ot- 
dia, and carrying baskets of cocoa-nuts and 
other fruits on poles. Hence it appeared that 
my friends had yielded to their destiny, and 
hoped to win the favour of the intruders by 
humility and presents. From their former dis- 
