458 VILLAGE OF OLILIET. 



As soon as we had satisfied our curiosity on the 

 beach, old Lomba led the way to the village on the 

 crest of the hill. The ascent commenced close to 

 the landing place by a flitrht of steps rudely formed 

 by logs of wood laid across a narrow path cut in 

 the hill side, which brought us to within forty or 

 fifty feet of the summit. After which we had to 

 climb two ladders, made of hard red wood richly 

 carved, placed almost perpendicularly against the 

 cliff. In a recess under the upper step we noticed 

 four small idols that bore a strong resemblance to 

 those of the South Sea islanders. 



After reaching the top of the ladder we passed 

 through a gateway, evidently intended for defence, 

 and then found ourselves in the village of Oliliet, 

 built on a level space of considerable extent, acces- 

 sible only from seaward by the path we had ascended, 

 which the removal of the ladders would render 

 impracticable, and on the land side protected by a 

 wall, beyond which the jungle appeared to be very 

 dense. 



The houses, all raised on piles six or eight feet 

 above the ground, could only be entered by means 

 of a ladder leading through a trap door in the floor. 

 The roofs neatly thatched with palm leaves, and 

 formed with a very steep pitch projected consider- 

 ably beyond the low side walls, and surmounted at 

 the gables by large wooden horns,* richly carved, 



* See the view annexed. 



