170 THE CRUISE OF THE 'GUBAQOA: 



interesting ; and as tlie proverbs of a nation are supposed to 

 be illustrative of their character, they are well worthy of 

 notice. I therefore cite specimens of them given by the 

 same writer in his interesting account of this people. First, 

 there is a couplet in which greediness is reproved : — 



Your evil eye esteems your share too small, 

 And prompts you greedily to aim at all . 



The next speaks for itself, 



what a valiant man you are, 



Who heat your wife, hut dare not go to war. 



That with increased means comes increased care is noted 



thus. 



If you have a great canoe. 



Great will he your labour too. 



Idleness and too much attention to personal ornament are 

 warned that ' No food is cooked thereby.' Improvidence 

 and want of forethought are thus censured : ' The Nakondo 

 people cut the mast first,' that is, prepare the mast before 

 securing the canoe. ' The saucy,' it is said, ' take reproof 

 like water ; ' that is, swallow it without thought. Again, 

 it is said, ' An unimproved day is not to be counted.' 

 These proverbial sayings are certainly proofs that good 

 sense and wise purpose are not deficient in the intellectual 

 qualifications of these islanders. Their remarkable addiction 

 to fun and jest, and sensational exaggerations of a comic 

 nature have exposed them to a character for trifling and 

 untruthfulness which they do not entirely deserve. Mr. 

 Williams speaks of their conversational powers, and adduces 



