SECOND VOYAGE 191 



Their houses, or at least most of them, are circular ; some- 

 thing like a bee-hive and full as close and warm. The 

 entrance is by a small door, or long square hole, just big 

 enough to admit a man bent double. In most of them 

 they found two fire-places, and commonly a fire burning ; 

 and as there was no vent for the smoke but by the door, the 

 whole house was both smoky and hot, insomuch that they, 

 who were not used to such an atmosphere, could hardly 

 endure it a moment. 



They have no great variety of household utensils, earthen 

 jars being the only article worth notice. Each family has at 

 least one of them, in which they bake their roots, and 

 perhaps their fish. 



They subsist chiefly on roots and fish and the bark of a 

 tree, which also grows in the West Indies. This they roast, 

 and are almost continually chewing. Water is their only 

 liquor, at least they never saw any other made use of. It 

 seems to be a country unable to support many inhabitants. 

 Nature has been less bountiful to it than to any other 

 tropical island known in this sea. The greatest part of 

 its surface consists of barren rocky mountains. 



Nevertheless, here are several plants common to the 

 eastern and northern islands, and even a species of the 

 passion-flower, which has never before been known to grow 

 wild anywhere but in America. The botanists did not 

 complain for want of employment at this place ; every day 

 bringing to light something new in botany or other 

 branches of natural history. 



Their fishing implements are turtle nets, made of the 

 filaments of the plantain tree twisted, and small hand nets, 

 with very minute meshes, made of fine twine, and fish- 

 gigs. 



The women of this country, and likewise those of Tanna, 

 are far more chaste than those of the most eastern islands. 

 The Captain says he never heard that one of his people 

 obtained the least favour from any one of them. 



Everything being in readiness to put to sea at sunrise on 

 the 13th of September, they weighed, and stood out for sea. 



Nothing remarkable occurred till the 28th in the evening, 

 when two low islets were seen bearing W. by S., and as they 

 were connected by breakers which seemed to join those on 

 their starboard, it became necessary to haul off in order to 

 get clear of them. Soon after more breakers appeared ex- 

 tending from the low isles to a great distance. 



They spent the night in making short boards, under the 

 terrible apprehension every moment of falling on some of 

 the many dangers which surrounded them. 



Daylight showed that their fears were not ill-founded, 



