256 THE CRUISE OF THE ' CUBAgOA.' 



way, tlirougli which we passed by an opening between 

 them. The natives were tolerably numerous on the shore, 

 and appeared to be more peacefully disposed than those of 

 the first village we saw, though each of them was armed 

 with two or three spears, very thin and light compared with 

 those of the Fiji people. Not a woman was to be seen 

 among them. The Bishop explained tliat we had merely 

 come to kill a few birds ; no objection was made, and we 

 pushed on inland. Only three of us had guns, I was one of 

 them, but the boy who had charge of my ammunition bag 

 had stupidly left it on board the schooner, so that my gun 

 was useless, and I was done out of my shooting. We saw 

 some parrots, and a species of new fern for my collection. 

 We reached a village consisting of a dozen of tolerably lai'ge 

 huts, several of which seemed to me to be sunk a foot in the 

 ground, which so darkened them that I could with difficulty 

 discern anything inside ; and moreover I did not ventiu'e to 

 be too prying, because the women appeared to me so timid 

 and shy, that I did not choose to run the risk of annoying 

 them. The huts were roofed with wild sugar cane leaves, 

 and had but one opening for a doorway. 



The natives are a small puny race, and have about their 

 moutlis an offensive appearance from chewing betel-nut, 

 whicli grows here, as well as another palm with a very 

 pretty foliage. The men seemed fi-iendly enough, and when 

 Brazier shot a parrot they were dehglited to see the bird 

 fall, and laughed a good deal. All these people seemed 

 very excitable, and as if, on the least thing happening, they 

 would be like madmen in a minute. The women were 



