074 TYE AND SUALIB. 



closely, and I deemed it necessary to put the men at the boat, which 

 was some distance from us below, upon their guard, and sent extra 

 boat-keepers to reinforce them. These natives learned that we were 

 well armed, by the occasional firing of our guns at birds, and did not 

 trouble us. On the arrival of the tender, they went off, and we saw 

 no more of them. It was by no means pleasant to be constantly feel- 

 ing that if one of us should straggle, he might be kidnapped and 

 taken off to furnish a cannibal feast. The boats again at night 

 pitched their tents on the beach near the tender. 



Naviti has several large villages, though there is little level ground 

 for cultivation. From the top of Eld Island, that of Biva, in the 

 west, extensive coral reefs trending north from the island of Vorno to 

 the east, and the small islands in the southern part of this group, 

 could be distinctly seen. 



A few natives were seen on this island, who had swum across the 

 narrow passage between it and Naviti. They were living in a mise- 

 rable hut, and their principal food appeared to be the yaka, which an 

 old woman was baking in the fire. From the natives digging in 

 search of this root, all the hills on these islands had an appearance as 

 if rooted up by pigs. 



At daylight I despatched the Vincennes' first cutter and the 

 Leopard to survey the small islands in their route towards Malolo, 

 where I had ordered a rendezvous with the brig ; and with the tender 

 and Peacock's first cutter I took the inner islands and shoals. The 

 former passed to the right of Waia Island, while the latter took the 

 left side. 



Waia is the highest and most broken island of this group, its peak 

 being about sixteen hundred and forty -one feet above the level of the 

 sea. Connected with it are Waialailai and Waialailaithake, all very 

 rugged and broken. On the latter I landed, and succeeded, after 

 some difficulty, in getting to the top of one of its rocky peaks, 

 which I called Observatory Peak. At the first view it appeared 

 almost inaccessible, but in making the attempt, we found that the 

 difficulties fortunately diminished as we neared the top. We found 

 the ascent very fatiguing, encumbered, as we were obliged to be, 

 not only with our instruments, but with fire-arms, for it was very 

 necessary to keep constantly on our guard against attacks by the 

 natives. On landing, we had thought that this island was unin- 

 habited, but we were not long on the top before we saw several 

 natives keeping a close watch upon us. This constant necessity 



