THE TROPICAL PACIFIC 363 



Murea, the nearest of the Society Islands to Pa- 

 peete, is the most picturesque of all. Unfortunately, 

 what with our breakdown and rain squalls, we could get 

 no photos of it. . . . Huaheine, Raiatea, and Tahaa are 

 beautiful places and their barrier reefs are superb, tak- 

 ing on a development compared to which the Fiji reefs 

 are as nothing. The islands are as a whole (except the 

 two large Fiji ones) much larger, yet not so large as to 

 lose the unity — and that makes them so interesting. 

 They are thickly populated — the shore lines are edged 

 with houses all on piles and quite different from any 

 style of house we have seen in the islands thus far. 

 Bora Bora is a most striking island. The centre of the 

 lagoon of the island is occupied by a great twin peak 

 rising fully three thousand feet above the sea level and 

 the barrier reef is edged with little islets covered with 

 cocoanut trees in great contrast to the bare volcanic 

 sides of the central mass." 



Touching at the Cook group, the ship on November 

 25 made an isolated island about three hundred miles 

 northeast of Tonga, called Niue or Savage Island, be- 

 cause in old days the natives murdered any one who 

 dared land on its shores. Although the inhabitants are 

 still independent, having a so-called king elected by the 

 chiefs of the various villages, the spirit of " civilization " 

 has invaded the island. For when a landing party from 

 the Albatross reached the shore the natives rushed toward 

 them shouting, " Give tabac," and thrusting their hands 

 into the visitors' pockets demanded, "Mun! Mun !!" 



They were all supposed to be Christians, over whom 

 the missionary held despotic sway. Agassiz had an amus- 

 ing adventure with him. It was Sunday on the island, 



