A Ramble on Fili Island. 109 
and so producing a loudy melancholy sound which varied ac- 
cording to the diameter of the post operated’ on. I noticed 
also that upon the largest one of the circle some rude 
kind of figure was generally traced, the nature of which I 
could not make out. 
‘These drums, I afterwards found out, were used for the pur- 
pose of assembling the natives for feasts or public meetings, 
and also did duty asa band at the native dances, the open 
square around them being the ball-room. 
A sketch of these drums will be found at the head of 
the following letter. 
We had a contretemps while returning to the vessel in the 
canoe, which might have been more serious than it actually 
was. The wind had risen somewhat since we had gone ashore, 
and soon after putting off I saw that the canoe was over- 
weighted. The water began quietly to ripple over the sides, 
and the further we got out the worse it was, for the wind was off 
shore ; so I set one of the natives to bale, while I took his 
paddle. But it was of no use, for faster and faster the water 
came over; so the man at the pumps struck work in disgust, 
and he and I jumped overboard just as the vessel was preparing 
to go down. Fortunately for us, one of the armada was re- 
turning from the vessel, and the lady canoists seeing the mis- 
hap, paddled vigorously to the rescue. They picked us up, 
and, accompanied by the canoe which the other native had 
managed to empty, we reached the vessel; whereupon I re- 
warded my boatmen, and also my gallant rescuers, with some 
of that pernicious article generally called trade tobacco. 
The other island of Melé I also visited, going with the captain, 
who went down in the ship’s boat for'yams. It is smaller than 
Fili, and more populous, so that it is covered with huts, which 
form quite a town. 
