BOWDITCH ISLAND. 13 



There was a necessity now for beginning the duties of the survey, 

 and guns were to be fired for bases by sound. Attempts were made 

 before the firing, to explain to them what was to be done, in hopes 

 their fears might not be excited, and thus cause their desertion, as at 

 the Duke of York's Island ; but the moment the first gun was fired, 

 they hurried off for a short distance, to hold a parley. The second 

 gun caused them to start at full speed for the land, and they did not 

 slacken their efforts until they reached it. 



Three boats, with several of the officers, landed on the southwest 

 point of the island, whither four or five canoes accompanied them, 

 the confidence of the natives being restored. When they came near 

 the reef, the surf was found to be breaking heavily on it, which 

 caused them to hesitate in attempting to land at that place ; but, after 

 looking for some distance, and finding no better place, they deter- 

 mined to try it. The natives, in the mean time, had been passing 

 through the surf, by placing their canoes on the heaviest roller, and, 

 paddling with great energy, reached the beach upon it, without diffi- 

 culty. 



Following their example, our boats landed with the same ease and 

 safety. 



The islet on which they now were was covered with cocoa-nut 

 trees, but there were no houses upon it. They called it Fakaafo, 

 which was the same as the natives of Oatafu had designated as the 

 island where their great chief lived. Oatafu was well known here, as 

 well as the Duke of Clarence's Island, which they called Nukunono. 

 It was observed that they spoke of their own island as the Fanua 

 Loa, or the Great Land ; and it, with the two islands just referred 

 to, were all the lands of which they had any knowledge. 



The only person our officers saw who appeared to have any 

 authority, was an old man, whom they called Taufaiga, and desig- 

 nated as a priest, and who was considered fakatapa (sacred). The 

 name they gave to the god of the island was Tui-tokelau, whose 

 residence was pointed out as being in the skies. Mr. Hale, by his 

 questions, elicited that they called their great deity by the same 

 name, with the customary addition of Tagaloa ilaya-i-te-layi — Tagaloa 

 above in the heavens. They ascribed our origin to the same place, 

 and could not be convinced that we were not deities, but only men 

 (tagata lava). 



Near the south end of the island was a small lagoon of salt water. 



VOL. V. 4 



