BA Y OF ISLA NDS AND NEW ZEAL A ND COAST. 313 



looked upon as a sailor's pastime ; but we had had con- 

 siderable experience during the voyage, as a result of 

 which most of us could swing an axe in fine style. But 

 the Kanakas beat us all hollow. Delighted to get ashore 

 again, pleased with the fine axes as children with new 

 toys, they laid about them in grand style, the young trees 

 falling right and left in scores. Anybody would have 

 judged that we were working piece-work, at so much a 

 cord, the pile grew so fast. There was such a quantity 

 collected that, instead of lightering it off in the boats, 

 which is very rough and dirty usage for them, I con- 

 structed a sort of raft with four large spars arranged 

 in the form of an oblong, placing an immense quantity 

 of the smaller stuff in between. Upright sticks were 

 rudely lashed here and there, to keep the pile from 

 bobbing out underneath, and thus loaded we proceeded 

 slowly to the shijf>with sufficient wood for our wants 

 brought in one journey. It was immediately hoisted 

 on board, sawn into convenient lengths, and stowed 

 away, the whole operation being completed, of getting 

 between eight and ten tons of firewood cut, ferried, and 

 stowed, in less than eight hours. 



Next day was devoted to watering ; but as I have else- 

 where described that necessary if prosaic occupation, I 

 will not repeat the story. Sufficient to say that the job 

 was successfully " did " in the course of the day. 



All the work being accomplished for which we had 

 come, it only remained to give the (a-ew "liberty." So 

 the port watch, in their best (?) rig, were mustered aft ; 

 each man received ten shillings, and away they went in 

 glee for the first genuine day's liberty since leaving 

 Honolulu. For although they had been much ashore in 

 Vau Vau, that was not looked upon in the same light as 

 a day's freedom in a town where liquor might be procured, 



