148 FROM RADACK TO 



wind in tlie months of September and October, 

 sometimes blows from the S.W., and not seldom 

 rises into a furious hurricane, rooting up the cocoa 

 and bread-fruit trees, desolating the islands on the 

 western point of the group, which, he assured me, 

 were sometimes swallowed up by the waves. The 

 savages look forward with terror to this season, 

 which often destroys the crop of bread-fruit. 

 This fruit is gathered only once a-year, and just at 

 that period ; for, though it is seen on the trees all 

 the year round, yet they are the fullest in those 

 dangerous months. 



Langemui brought on board to-day a young 

 Tamon, of the island of Miadi, which, according 

 to his opinion, must lie now to the east of us, and 

 was, without doubt, the New-year's Island disco- 

 vered by us ; for, according to our calculation, it 

 lay fifty-six miles to the east of us. The young 

 chief made this visit much against his inclination. 

 In a little vessel fitted out for fishing, in which he 

 was alone, he had been surprised in a storm, 

 carried away from his island, and in a few days 

 thrown upon this group. This high-spirited 

 young man w^as very much tattooed over his whole 

 body, consequently of very high rank ; his beha- 

 viour was modest, and liis inquisitiveness was al- 

 most boundless. On my asking when he intended 

 to return to Miadi, he answered, that he would 

 wait for Lamary*s arrival, who was to collect a 

 military force there, and go with him. It is aston- 



