OF THE SOUTH SEAS 389 



ents and never to the kiddies. They reverse 'Honor thy 

 father and mother.' " 



In the morning the Valley of Vaihiria unrolled under 

 the rays of the sun like a spreading green carpet, and 

 the sea in the distance, a mirror, sent back the darts of 

 the beams. After breakfast we built a raft of banana- 

 trunks, which we tied with lianas, and on it we floated 

 about to observe the big-eared eels. Except by the 

 shore the natives warned us against swimming for fear 

 of these monsters, but we were not disturbed. We 

 looked into the dismal pit, Apo Taria, and tumbled 

 rocks down it. 



"It has no bottom," said Tiura. "We have sounded it 

 with our longest ropes." 



The sun v^as now climbing high, and we began the de- 

 scent, moving at a fast pace, leaping, slipping and slid- 

 ing, with the use of the rope, and arriving at the 

 Chefferie a little after noon. 



The long draft of a cocoanut, a full quart of delicious, 

 cooling refreshment, and we were ready for the oysters 

 and the fish and taro. 



