132 Letter VII. 
Mr. Watt and I went ashore in the boat. Close to the 
beach there was a flat reef, through which there appeared no 
opening ; so we had just to bump over it as best we might, 
assisted by the waves, which were large enough to wash us 
over, but not so large as to render such a feat dangerous. The 
Ambrim people have had but little communication as yet with 
whites ; so when we landed they gathered round us with much 
curiosity, feeling our arms and shouting with surprise. When 
they discovered that their friends had at last returned, their 
joy knew no bounds, especially as said friends had some pigs 
and other trade with them—none of which, however, I may re- 
mark, had they got from the trader for whom they had worked. 
Before we had been long on shore, one of those who had been 
on Tana came up to Mr. Watt, and told him, in a low voice, 
to get into the boat and go off as quickly as possible. He gave 
no reason, but appeared very much in earnest. | We did so, 
and, bumping over the reef again, rejoined the vessel. One 
of the Ambrim men had been killed on Tana, and probably 
his friends had come up and were inclined to make a row; so 
the friendly man had been afraid of our getting into trouble, 
and thought it best to advise us to retreat ; and as it takes very 
little to excite these savages, and as they are never very par- 
ticular whom they may kill by way of revenge, perhaps it was as 
well for us that we did leave thus abruptly. 
The Ambrim natives appeared to me a well-grown, healthy 
people, and dark-skinned. They wear their hair cut short, and 
have a curious custom of powdering it white, and I cannot say 
that it has an unpleasant appearance. 
Leaving Ambrim, we sailed for Santo, and thence to the 
island of Maré. As this island belongs to a different group, 
and is under a different mission, I will give some little informa- 
tion about it and the other two islands which comprise the 
group, in another letter. 
