66 FROM THE SANDWICH ISLANDS 



country or an island, to study likewise the inha- 

 bitants, their manners and customs ; besides this, 

 I have had no cause, in the sequel, to regret the 

 loss of time, as it was the very means of enabHng 

 me to make new discoveries. 



On the 21st, I sent for water, which collects in 

 Otdia in several pits, and is very good. In the 

 afternoon we were visited by two boats, in one of 

 which, was Rarick and his suite, and in the other 

 the chief of Egmedio, a small island south of 

 Otdia, which is distinguished by a grove of old 

 cocoa-trees, situate in the middle of the island, 

 and rising much higher than all the other trees. 

 This, the high Bird island, and another south of 

 our anchoring-place, are three fixed points which 

 present themselves to the navigator when he 

 reaches the southern point of the group. The 

 numerous old cocoa- trees on Egmedio, make it 

 still more inexplicable to me why they have but 

 just begun to plant them in the other islands, 

 when it might have been done so long before. 



Rarick introduced to me the chief of the island 

 Egmedio, whose name was Langin ; he was above 

 thirty -six years of age, of a middle stature, and 

 very delicate ; his whole body was tatooed, his 

 dress tasteful, his behaviour modest, but I found 

 him unreasonably timid. My friend Lagediack, 

 according to his promise, came on board witli 

 Rarick, who had the courage to go to-day to the pig- 

 sty, to examine the animals more closely, but was 



