PROCEEDINGS OF SECTIOX E. 535 



had been united in years past. We had one very interesting fact made 

 very clear to us. In a chart (the most recent one) made of Numanu, in 

 1888, there was only one island at the entrance of the passage by which 

 we came into the lagoon, and a number of stones were marked on the 

 chart a little further south ; but at the time of our visit that place 

 was an islet with a number of cocoanut trees on it, most or all of which 

 appeared to be in full bearing. We noticed also that in another passage, 

 where a reef awash was marked in the 1888 chart, there were now four 

 cocoanut trees growing on it. We found good deep water in the lagoon, 

 and were most of the afternoon beating up with a nice breeze. We 

 anchored at 5 p.m., but did not go on shore. The chief and two men 

 came c)ff, and they took all the Lord Howe people to the shore, which 

 was a great relief to us, as the noise they made \vas just a bit distracting. 

 Next day we landed about 9 a.m., and as soon as we reached the 

 shore the constabulary were marched to the flagstaff, on which the 

 British flag was floating. The men presented arms, and then the 

 chief, under Mr. Mahaffy's direction, lowered the flag, and so ended 

 the British Protectorate in this small but very interesting group. The 

 British flag had been hoisted on this group under the impression that 

 it formed part of the British Protectorate, but it was subsequently 

 found that it was included within the sphere of German influence ; 

 and so one part of Mr. Mahaffy's mission was to declare this fact to the 

 natives by lowering the British flag, and taking it away from the chief 

 to whose care it had been committed. The chief was very unwilling 

 to haul down the flag, and pleaded with Mr. Mahaffy to allow him to 

 remain under British protection ; but this, of course, could not be done. 

 AVe found the beach and village there very clean, and in this respect, 

 as in some others also, it was much more attractive and pleasant than 

 the Lord Howe villages. The houses also were very much better, 

 and altogether the place presented the appearance of quiet and content. 

 No doubt there were troubles in this little Eden, but none were apparent 

 to us. I soon made the acquaintance of my '" brother missionary," 

 who, as usual, was walking about in gloomy state and apparently 

 holding httle or no intercourse with his fellow islanders. I managed, 

 however, to get a photograph of him. After breakfast we went ashore 

 again and visited the curious wells where the hawks-bill turtles were 

 kept confined. There were 11 wells, which formerly were all filled, but 

 only two of them were then occupied by the turtles. They were caught 

 young and placed in those M'ells, which were connected with the tide, 

 and the animals were fed regularly every day with shellfish. The top 

 of each well was covered over with logs and cocoanut leaves, so that the 

 turtle hved in a state of semi-darkness, and this, I think, was to cause 

 the shell to preserve the amber or yellow color which the people valued 

 so much. Each turtle was stripped of one or more plates of shell every 

 year, and then put back into its well to grow more. It seemed very 

 cruel to us, but the natives appeared to think that the turtle did not 

 object to the process, as he was well fed every day with shellfish. 

 Some old ladies gave us a series of very vigorous dances, which appeared 

 to consist in some kind of challenge by the orchestra which was 



