2G GOVERNMENT. 



the spirit of true politeness displayed in the manner of the chief 

 and his wives, as the}^ endeavoured to show that in the exercise of 

 their simple hospitality they were receiving, instead of conferring^ 

 an honour. I felt that I was in the presence of good breeding, 

 although sitting attired in a dirty flannel suit in the midst of a 

 number of almost naked savages. My own party of Sinasoro 

 natives, who had been fasting for many hours, politely asked me 

 to partake of their meal which the generosity of the chief had pre- 

 pared, before they thought of touching it themselves. I of course 

 complied with their request by tasting a cooked banana, when, this 

 piece of etiquette havdng been duly observed, they attacked the 

 victuals without ceremony. 



Such was my pleasing experience of this Faro chief. During 

 the survey of this island, the natives showed every disposition to be 

 friendly towards us. In my numerous excursions I always met 

 with civility, and frequently with unexpected acts of kindness ; and 

 I soon became known to them by the name given to me by the 

 Treasury natives, " Rokus " or " Dokus." 



The principal chief of the district, immediately north of Choiseul 

 Bay, is named " Krejias." Several years before he had been living 

 at Faro, which he left on account of the death of all his wives. 

 When we first visited Choiseul Bay in September, 1883, we found 

 the natives very coy in approaching us, on account of the reprisal 

 of H.M.S. " Emerald," two years before, on the people of the neigh- 

 bouring village of Kangopassa for the cutting out of the trading- 

 vessel " Zephyr," and the nmrder of a portion of her crew. After 

 two days, however, Lieutenant Oldham succeeded in removing their 

 suspicions, and the chief came on board. Subsequently Krepas and 

 his son, Kiliusi, accompanied me in a canoe during my ascent of one 

 of the rivers that empty themselves into this bay. I found the 

 chief and his son very useful guides, and was prepossessed in their 

 favour. On our return to Treasury, I was surprised to learn 

 from Billy, i\Iule's prime minister, as we termed him, that Krepas 

 was a practised cannibal, and would not think mucli of killing a 

 white man. Billy was deeply impressed by the circumstance of 

 my having shared my lunch with the chief of Choiseul Bay, about 

 two miles up one of the rivers. It was in this bay that the French 

 navigator, Bougainville, intended to anchor his ships in 17G8, beino- 

 opposed by the hostility of the natives. The boats, which had been 

 sent in to find an anchorage, were attacked by 150 men in ten 



