T U T U 1 L A. 73 



his brother's turn, to whom I presented, with great ceremony, first a 

 small and then a large fish-hook ; after which they left me, appa- 

 rently in great good humour. I was heartily glad to be rid of such 

 rapacious troublesome fellows so easily, and without a fight. We 

 then pushed our boat off. When just beyond the reef, in taking up 

 our anchor, the boat had the appearance of returning again on shore. 

 On seeing this, a great shout was set up by the natives, and one of 

 them immediately advanced with my powder-flask. He said it had 

 been taken by a boy out of the boat, and had been dropped into the 

 water, to be picked up after we had shoved off. I gave the man a 

 small present for his apparent honesty ; but I am inclined to believe 

 it was the fear of detection, and the belief that we had missed the 

 article, and were returning for it, that induced them to give it up so 

 willingly. It was some time before he could be made to understand 

 what the reward was for, but when he found it was for his honesty, 

 he laughed heartily. 



This having excited our suspicions, the boat's crew informed me 

 that a canoe that was paddling off had been alongside the gig, and 

 that they felt satisfied that the natives had taken something from us. 

 It being in our course towards the ship, we gave chase, and being 

 favoured by the wind, soon overtook the canoe, to the great fright of 

 the two natives, who were paddling with all their might, and whose 

 eyes were full of tears when overtaken. They had nothing at all in 

 their canoe, and after examination it proved we had lost nothing. To 

 console them for this alarm, I gave them a few trifles, and they 

 became easy and cheerful. 



The coral reef around this island was different from any I had 

 hitherto seen. It consisted of two regular shelves, the outer one from 

 fifty to sixty feet wide, and the inner in places measuring one hundred 

 and forty feet. A distinct mark of high water was measured along 

 the beach, and found to be twenty feet above the ordinary sea-tide, 

 which has from four to five feet rise. 



The rock at Manua was volcanic conglomerate, with large blocks 

 of vesicular lava lying loose on the coral beach. 



Before sunset the boats returned to the ship, having completed the 

 survey of both islands. 



Ofoo lies to the westward of Oloosinga. There is a passage for 

 boats of about a fourth of a mile in width between them, and 

 anchorage on the western side. Ofoo resembles Oloosinga, and from 

 the accounts we received, it has but few inhabitants ; those of 



VOL. II. 19 



