246 M B U A BAY AND MUTHDATA. 



has not escaped unscathed, for he received on one occasion a musket- 

 ball, which entered beneath his shoulder-blade and came out beneath 

 the nipple of his breast. Gingi is remarkable for the energy of his 

 character, and his savage disposition when offended. 



While the Peacock lay at Muthuata, the naturalists employed 

 themselves in excursions to the mountains. The bright tin boxes 

 carried by the botanists attracted much attention, and excited no little 

 alarm, for a report had got abroad, that these boxes contained our 

 " fiery spirits." In consequence of this idea, when one of these gen- 

 tlemen, after his return from an excursion, opened his box for the 

 purpose of looking at the plants he had gathered, there was a general 

 outcry and flight among the younger natives. They frequently met 

 native women in their walks, who seemed very much amused with 

 the Papalangis, and laughed immoderately at the shaking of hands, 

 which some were bold enough to venture upon. Those they met 

 would, if alone and carrying any thing, throw down their load and 

 run like the wind to escape. 



On their mountain excursions, they were accompanied by a Ro- 

 tuma man who spoke English. On their way up, as they were about 

 to enter a hamlet, he advised them to load and prepare their fire-arms, 

 saying that the people of the mountains did not like those of the coast, 

 and that to visit them was dangerous. It did not prove so, however, 

 on this occasion ; yet the advice clearly shows that a state of hostility 

 exists between those who live in the mountains and those on the 

 coast. The former are probably those who have escaped punishment 

 for crimes, or from the cruelty of the chiefs on the coast, and who 

 fled to the mountains for safety. 



The excursion to the top of the peak proved very interesting 

 to our botanists, whose collections were increased by many speci- 

 mens, among which was a young Kaurie pine. The point which 

 was measured, was two thousand feet high ; another point, which 

 was inaccessible, was about three hundred and fifty feet higher, 

 making the highest point two thousand three hundred and fifty 

 feet. 



The party witnessed some natives who were employed in taking 

 fish, near the mouth of a small stream, by poisoning the water with 

 the stems and leaves of a climbing Glycine, which grows abundantly 

 near the coast. 



They had ample evidence of the hostility existing among these 



