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TYE AND SUALIB. 



northern side, over a fine fertile plain upwards of a mile in extent, 

 on which were the remains of a village or town, and of extensive 

 plantations of bananas. These are now in total ruin, having been 

 entirely destroyed by Gingi in his late expedition. The inhabitants, 

 who had the air of a conquered people, treated us with great civility, 

 but all the provisions they could furnish were a few cocoa-nuts, every 

 thing else having been destroyed. They were found subsisting upon 

 the yaka, a kind of root which grows wild on the hills, and is quite 

 palatable when roasted. 



Mr. Agate took a most capital likeness of the wife of the chief of 

 this village. She was about forty years of age ; her head and side- 

 locks were nearly of a scarlet colour ; her necklace was composed of 

 a whale's tooth, shells, and a few beads ; the corners of her mouth 

 were tattooed in circles of a blue-black colour. 



She was sitting modestly after the fashion of her country, and had 

 a peculiar cunning look, through eyelids nearly close. Altogether 

 she furnished the most characteristic specimen of the appearance of 

 this people, of any I had seen. 



From the top of Tau-tha-ke, the beautiful little bay of Ya-sau-y-lau 

 appeared to lie at our feet, with the picturesque rock on its eastern 

 side, having much resemblance to a ruined castle or impregnable 

 fortress. This rock is entirely volcanic, with but little vegetation on 

 it. Tradition states it to have been the abode of an immense bird, 

 called Ya-sau-y-lau, which it is said was in the habit of frequenting 

 Vitilevu, where it would pounce upon the first individual it met, and 

 carry him off to its eyrie for food. The natives of Vitilevu held it 



