OCEANIC MIGRATIONS. 157 



they opposed it, saying ' e sa,' it is sacred or prohibited. After a 

 time, however, when they had become accustomed to our presence, 

 we took the liberty of turning our steps in that direction, and they 

 accompanied us. The entire islet was covered with cocoa-nut trees, 

 under the shade of which the houses were scattered, a few yards from 

 one another. They were very numerous, the village being quite a 

 large one, but we had no opportunity of counting them. They were 

 similar in construction to those of Oatafu, but larger and better built. 



" Near the centre of the town was a large building, which they called 

 the malae, arid declared to be the house of their god, Tui-Tokelau. 

 They were very unwilling that we should enter it, but yielded at last 

 to our representations, and accompanied us in, though with evident 

 reluctance. The house was oblong, about forty feet by thirty, and at 

 the ridge-pole about twenty feet in height. The roof, which curved 

 inward somewhat like that of a Chinese pagoda, descended at the 

 eaves to within three feet of the ground, below which the house was 

 open all around. The circumference was supported by many short 

 stanchions, small and roughly hewn, placed a few feet apart; but the 

 ridge-pole rested upon three enormous posts, of which the largest was 

 about three feet in diameter. The roof was- loosely thatched with 

 cocoa-nut leaves, not disposed with that neatness for which the 

 Samoans are distinguished. Around the inside of the eaves, a row 

 of mother-of-pearl shells was suspended, and a few of the posts were 

 bound round with sinnet, which were the only attempts at ornament 

 that we observed. In the centre of the house, about the largest post, 

 were piled confusedly together a dozen massive benches, or large 

 stools, two feet high, as many broad, and about three feet long; they 

 were of clumsy make, very thick and heavy, each one being appa- 

 rently carved from a single block. The natives called them 'seats 

 of the god,' and we supposed that they might be for the elders of the 

 village, when they meet in council, or for religious celebration. 



" At the foot of this pile of benches lay a piece of timber, which was 

 recognised as the windlass of a vessel. It was about four feet long 

 by one in diameter, and was much worn, as though it had been ex- 

 posed to the action of the waves. When we asked from whence it 

 came, they replied, from the sea; and in answer to farther inquiries, 

 related that a few years ago (three or four), a vessel was lost in the 

 surf, that two men got ashore, one of whom was named Fakaaukamea, 

 (the other's name we omitted to write,) and that both have since died. 

 On examining further it appeared that the windlass was not the only 



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