212 



A MISSION TO VITI. 



make the third. On bringing our little schooner to 

 anchor off the town of Taulalia, heavy showers overtook 

 us, and we began to despair of ever attaining our object, 

 when about nine o'clock it suddenly cleared up. The 

 natives, who had been watching from the beach, could 

 not understand our hesitation in not landing at once, 

 and in proof of their friendly disposition, brought out 

 their women and children ; and, moreover, carried green 

 boughs, as the soldiers do in Macbeth, when " Birnam 

 wood removes to Dunsinane/' 



BUKE LEVU, SEEN FROM THE SOUTH. 



On learning our object in coming to their town, fifteen 

 men and boys cheerfully volunteered to accompany us. 

 The ascent commenced the moment we left Taulalia, 

 and passing over cultivated grounds where the people 

 were busy with their crops of sugar-canes, yams, taros, 

 and plantains, we reached in about a quarter of an hour 

 a village, where another party of natives joined us, and 

 where we saw some fine plants of the different kinds of 



