THE LINE ISLANDS. 317 



spikes, pour encourager Us autres. Tern Baiteke has also great 

 ideas of the nobility of labour for himself. So his people 

 are kept hard at it all the year round, making cocoa-nut oil 

 and fishing for beche-de-mer, which he disposes of to the Sydney 

 traders. 



According to the latest information no European has been 

 for years resident in any of the three islands ruled by Tern 

 Baiteke, or even permitted to land in any inhabited part 

 of it, with the single exception of the captain or trading- 

 master of the ship with which he may be dealing. When a 

 vessel is seen entering his harbour, she is boarded three 

 miles from the town by the pilot, who is the king's brother, 

 and can speak a little English, having years ago sailed in a 

 whale-ship. 



The pilot inquires all about the new-comer's business, and 

 having seen the anchor put down, returns directly with his 

 report to the King. If it be his pleasure the vessel is brought 

 up to an anchorage near the village, and a small uninhabited 

 islet is shown to the strangers as a place where they can, if 

 they choose, land and display their goods to the natives, who 

 will meet them there ; otherwise they must do their business 

 on board the ship. A number of women are allowed to go on 

 board the vessel, and remain with the crew while she is in 

 port. The captain or trader goes ashore, eats and drinks with 

 the King, and is allowed perfect liberty. The King, as I have 

 stated, claims all the produce of his people's labour, and 

 receives all the pay, a portion of which, however, always con- 

 sists of casks of tobacco, which he distributes justly among 

 his subjects. In addition he serves out to them knives, axes, 

 and other prized articles. 



If the European vessel be not filled at Apemama, the King 

 takes passage in her to his other two islands, his schooner 



