284 THE TROPICAL WORLD. 



them they dived under it and rose again on the other side. 

 The stern of an old canoe added much to their sport. This 

 they took out before them, and swam as far as the outermost 

 breach in the reef, through which the sea came pouring in ; when 

 two or three getting into it and turning the square end to the 

 breaking waves, were driven in towards the shore with incredible 

 rapidity, sometimes almost to the beach, but generally the wave 

 broke over them before they got half-way, in which case they 

 dived and rose to the other side with the canoe in their hands 

 and swimming out with it again were again driven back. 



On the border of the reef of the island of Huaheini, Ellis 

 frequently saw more than a hundred persons of all ages play 

 like dolphins in the rolling breakers, sometimes riding on the 

 crest of a wave and nearly enveloped with foam, and then again 

 disappearing under the billows, which rolled like mountains 

 above them. 



The dwellings of the South Sea Islanders were small huts 

 built under the shade of bread-fruit trees or cocoa palms, and 

 open at the sides, so as to allow a free entrance to the cooling 

 breeze — a great enjoyment in a climate blessed with, a per- 

 petual spring. A strong thatch of palm leaves effectually kept 

 out the rain, and the floor was covered with hay, over which 

 they spread mats to sleep on, this being the chief use to which 

 their simple constructions were devoted, for, unless it rained, 

 they ate and performed all their work in the open air. 



The form of government in the large Polynesian groups 

 was monarchical and aristocratic. When Captain Wallis first 

 landed on Tahiti, a queen reigned over the beautiful island, 

 and when Cook discovered the Sandwich Archipelago a succes- 

 sion of kings had long ruled over Hawaii. The genealogy of 

 the great nobles was traced back as far as the remotest periods 

 of their legendary history, and in some islands the kings, as in 

 the old times of Grreece, derived their origin in a direct line 

 from the gods, so that religion lent its aid to secure their 

 authority by the prestige of birth. Their person was sacred, 

 none of the lower classes was allowed to touch them, and he 

 who should liave ventured to cast his shadow over their path 

 would have been punished with death. Whenever the king 

 or queen appeared in public, they were always carried on the 

 shoulders of men, whose honourable oflQce exonerated them from 



