The Marémen and their Houses. 139 
intend shortly to leave for Cape Vork, on the north of 
Australia, for the purpose of superintending a mission to be 
established in New Guinea. 
The advancing civilization amongst these natives shows itself 
in the superior style of dwellings which they put up—generally 
being walled houses, plastered with coral lime, and thatched. 
The chief’s house on this side of the island is quite a palace 
compared with the usual run of Western Polynesian native 
abodes. It is a stone house of two stories, with French win- 
dows which open out to a verandah and balcony in front. 
The interior fittings, such as the staircase, are not quite com- 
plete, and several of the rooms are still unfurnished. The 
furniture is of plain deal; and upstairs, or rather, up the ladder, 
is a great four-posted bed. Whether the chief actually sleeps 
in this concern or not, I cannot say; but I should imagine 
that he would find more congenial quarters underneath it than 
upon it. The old gentleman himself was from home when we 
called; but his son, an intelligent-looking young fellow, did 
the honours. 
The teachers for whom the vessel had called having been 
obtained, we went down toward the boat to go off to the 
vessel. While waiting on the beach until these men could tear 
themselves away from their friends, I noticed a sight that I had 
never seen before, though I had heard of it, namely, natives 
swimming in the surf. They would go away outside of a 
sunken reef, upon which the waves were rolling and breaking 
in fine style; and then mounting upon the crest of the ad- 
vancing wave, would career along on top of it, until hurled 
over into the boiling water which covered the reef. It looked 
rather dangerous work, but they seemed to enjoy the exciting 
sport amazingly, and never to hurt themselves at it. The Maré- 
men are famous swimmers. A story is told of one, that he used to 
swim out to sea for the purpose of fishing. Lying on his back, 
