VAVAU. 95 



tlie wife he retained having died. The governor is a very- 

 tall, imposing-looking man, in spite of the loss of an eye, 

 the resnlt either of an accident or a wound in war. He 

 w^as also minus two fingers, cut off as a tribute, according to 

 the custom of these islands, to some deceased relatives.-^ 

 David has the reputation of being a great warrior, and a 

 friend of civilization ; he speaks a little English, provided 

 there be no missionary within earshot. I found him dressed 

 in a piece of tapa, which he told me he changed every 

 three days, and which covered all his body with tlie 

 exception of his legs and feet. He has a bed and some 

 old furniture of European make ; his flag, the same as his 

 father's, is red, with a cross of the same colour on a white 

 ground in the upper corner. He has two children, a girl 

 and a boy : his daughter, twelve years old, is strongly built, 

 and has her breasts perfectly developed, as is usual in a 

 country where the women are generally mothers before 

 they are thirteen. His son, wlio rejoices in the name of 

 Wellington Ngu, is an intelligent-looking boy about ten 

 years old. David says he is going to send him to Sydney 

 to be educated, and adds, he will gladly pay 300/. a year 

 for his education. 



Papalangi Jonah Pokahorse was with the governor at 

 the time of our visit, and appeared to be on terms of great 

 intimacy with His Excellency. This self-styled Briton, 



' In Hawaii a similar tribute is paid by breaking off a tooth to the 

 gum. I have seen many men and women who have had several teeth 

 broken off in this way. 



