14 THE WHALEMAN'S ADVENTURES. 

 CHAPTEK II. 



CORAL ISLAND OF R1MATARA. 



" Happy they were, and without a care, 

 Who had made their home for ever there ; 

 Happy they were, and calm and free, 



Living upon their island-home, 

 Whose heach was girt with a silvery sea, 



That sprinkled it ever with starry foam. 

 Their life was a moving melody, 

 Their season a long serenity." 



Story. 



The Commodore Preble at Rimatara An Invitation to the 

 Author He goes on Shore Rimatara Beauties King 

 Temaeva His House and Chapel A Rimataran Feast 

 The King visits the Ship Contrast between the Chris- 

 tianized and Heathen Islanders of the South Seas Treach- 

 ery of the latter Reception of a Wrecked Crew by Chris- 

 tian Islanders An Islander's Argument for the Bible. 



THE first view we have of the Commodore 

 Preble is as she is lying off and on the 

 lone island of Kimatara, in quest of the fresh 

 supplies which whalemen covet in order to 

 keep at bay the scurvy. This is one of those 

 fascinating South Sea Islands, which, on their 

 first discovery by Europeans in the latter part 

 of the last century, quite turned the heads of 



