304 THE OCEAN. 
rigging made of cocoa-nut fibre, which makes good 
rope. 
The mode in which these scattered isles were 
peopled is a -subject of interesting discussion, as 
the physical character of the inhabitants, their lan- 
guage, and many peculiarities in their customs, seem 
to indicate their Asiatic origin; while, on the other 
hand, it was deemed highly improbable that the 
progress should have been made in a direction op- 
posed to that of the trade-wind, and in such feeble 
craft as they possessed. But the trade-wind is occa- 
sionally exchanged for violent and continued gales 
in other directions; and instances have come to 
our knowledge, in which voyages of several hun- 
dred miles have been performed by native canoes, 
directly to windward. Thus, Captain Beechy 
found at Byam Martin Island a native of Tahiti, 
named Tuwarri, who, with a few companions, had 
sailed from Chain Island on a voyage to Tahiti; 
but after being out some time, he was met by a 
violent storm, which drove him far out of his course 
and knowledge. At length, after very severe pri- 
vations and sufferings, he arrived at Byam Martin, 
four hundred and twenty miles distant in a wind- 
ward direction from the point of embarkation.* 
Such involuntary emigrations as this, when we con- 
sider how intimately the various groups are con- 
nected with each other, and with the Indian Archi- 
pelago, seem sufficient to warrant the conclusion, 
that the tide of population has flowed in a direction 
from west to east. 
* Voyage to the Pacific, &c. 
