90 CBUISE OF THE ' CUBAQOA.' 



island seemed entirely clothed with vegetation, among 

 which the casuarina, the pandanus, and cocoa-nut trees, 

 were easily distinguishable ; the latter appearing to exist 

 in greater abundance than I had ever before remarked in 

 any one place. We saw a building resembling a church, 

 with graves around it, and on the shore a whale-boat, two 

 things indicative of civihzation. There were also a good 

 many canoes and canoe houses. The Cura^oa was speedily 

 surrounded by canoes with red-headed men, their hair cut 

 close to the scalp. These natives, who are of a brightish 

 brown colour, are very well made, but with faces which, 

 owing to their extremely flattened noses and very wide 

 nostrils, are by no means pleasant to look on, as compared 

 with the natives of Savage Island. The greater part of their 

 canoes were small ; I saw one double one, the ends of which 

 were ornamented with milky cowrie shells {Cyprcea lactea). 

 A man, calling himself an Englishman, about thirty years 

 of age, and of an appearance very far from prepossessing, 

 came on board, and informed us he was the friend of the 

 chief, and that he hved in a village called Neiafu, a portion 

 of which was visible at the point of the island. We learnt 

 afterwards that he is a sort of vagabond who conceals his 

 real name, and that the natives have given him the sonorous 

 appellation of Papalangi Jonah Pokahorse, which indicates, 

 among other things, his principal occupation — that of a 

 horse-gelder. 



In the afternoon I went on shore in the dingey. After 

 crossing a reef, where I saw several varieties- of madrepores, 



