82 ISLAND OF TUTUILLA. 



October 19th. This day we visited the village, situated at 

 the head of the bay. It contains about forty houses, all con- 

 structed after the manner before described, save that of Mr. 

 Murray, the resident missionary. This is built after the 

 English cottage-style, painted white, and surrounded by a 

 wooden paling. The interior aspect of the native buildings 

 varies according to the circumstances of the owner. If he be 

 rich, the floor is covered with the finest quality of mats, and 

 presents an air of great neatness throughout. If poor, the 

 floor remains uncovered, and but little attention is paid to 

 cleanliness or order. 



We saw in the Council-House a war-canoe, which was 

 capable of carrying fifty warriors. It is said that every vil- 

 lage on the island has one of these council-houses. They are 

 the places where the chiefs and other principal men meet to 

 discuss all matters concerning the state. The one here stands 

 near the landing, has a circular shape, and is capable of con- 

 taining several thousand people. 



Curiosity brought crowds of men, women, and children 

 around us. They are not in general as well-formed people as 

 the Tahitians, and we observed that very many of them were 

 afflicted with ophthalmia and elephantiasis. Their dress con- 

 sisted of long, narrow leaves, thickly strung on a piece of 

 bark, long enough to tie round the loins. All of them were 

 tattooed, more or less, about the legs and arms, but ornaments 

 they had none. Both men and women are fond of bathing, 

 and they spend much of their time in the water. They 

 seemed to have no idea of money, but set great value on every- 

 thing in the way of clothing and iron tools. They eagerly 

 exchanged their largest and finest-wrought mats for a hatchet, 

 or a plain iron ; ink and paper were also sought after by 

 some. 



