THE SETTLEMENT 487 



the shore of the lagoon. The whole place had rather a 

 desolate aspect, for there were no gardens to show the signs of 

 care and cultivation. The natives belong to different islands 

 in the East Indian archipelago, but all speak the same 

 language ; we saw the inhabitants of Borneo, Celebes, Java, 

 and Sumatra. In colour they resemble the Tahitians, from 

 whom they do not widely differ in features. Some of the 

 women, however, show a good deal of the Chinese character. 

 I liked both their general expressions and the sound of their 

 voices. The}^ appeared poor, and their houses were destitute 

 of furniture ; but it was evident, from the plumpness of the 

 little children, that cocoa-nuts and turtle afford no bad sus- 

 tenance. 



On this island the wells are situated from which ships 

 obtain water. At first sight it appears not a little remarkable 

 that the fresh water should regularly ebb and flow with the 

 tides ; and it has even been imagined that sand has the power 

 of filtering the salt from the sea-water. These ebbing wells 

 are common on some of the low islands in the West Indies. 

 The compressed sand, or porous coral rock, is permeated like 

 a sponge with the salt water ; but the rain which falls on the 

 surface must sink to the level of the surrounding sea, and must 

 accumulate there, displacing an equal bulk of the salt water. 

 As the water in the lower part of the great sponge-like coral 

 mass rises and falls with the tides, so will the water near the 

 surface ; and this will keep fresh, if the mass be sufficiently 

 compact to prevent much mechanical admixture ; but where 

 the land consists of great loose blocks of coral with- open 

 interstices, if a well be dug, the water, as I have seen, is 

 brackish. 



After dinner we stayed to see a curious half- superstitious 

 scene acted by the Malay women. A large wooden spoon 

 dressed in garments, and which had been carried to the grave 

 of a dead man, they pretend becomes inspired at the full of 

 the moon, and will dance and jump about. After the proper 

 preparations, the spoon, held by two women, became convulsed, 

 and danced in good time to the song of the surrounding 

 children and women. It was a most foolish spectacle ; but 

 Mr. Liesk maintained that many of the Malays believed in its 

 spiritual movements. The dance did not commence till the 



