TUTUILA. 37 



kept village,' where he and his party, on landing, were 

 taken to a large house, the Falatele, or public house of 

 reception, in which strangers are entertained at the public 

 expense. He adds that he had never seen a people more 

 prepossessing in appearance and manner. Hood ^ also bears 

 witness to the hospitality shown to Captain Cator and 

 several of his officers, who passed a night in the village. 

 The scenery is described as beautiful, but the heat (July) 

 very oppressive. 



On July 1, at daybreak, we came in sight of Tutuila, at 

 about a distance of six miles. This island is mountainous, 

 intersected by deep ravines, and well wooded. Some steep 

 faces of the coast were covered with verdure only ; on other 

 spots, where the land was lower, the soil was dotted over 

 with clusters of cocoanut trees, which were much larger and 

 prettier than at Nine. We passed close to the islet of 

 Anuu, also referred to by some navigators under the name 

 of Cocoanut Island. The Commodore, judging from his 

 charts that he ran some risk in searching for a safe anchor- 

 age, lay to for a pilot, who soon made his appearance in a 

 whale-boat. This pilot was a native of Honolulu, who 

 spoke a little English and who lived upon Anuu islet. He 

 told us he had not seen a ship for two months. He directed 

 us to cast anchor in Pango-Pango Bay, the best port of the 

 Archipelago, which we did about nine in the morning in 

 twenty-two fathoms, after having entered the harbour 

 through a very narrow passage. The scenery was magni- 



' Hood, p. 30. 



