42 EL LICE'S AND KINGS MILL GROUP. 



versed with them. They gave the name of the island as Fanafute. 

 They seemed perfectly familiar with white men, and when the guns 

 were fired for a base by sound, they showed no kind of alarm. 



The island was surveyed, and was found to be in latitude 8° 30' 45" 

 S., longitude 179° 13' 30" E. There appears to be good anchorage 

 within the lagoon; an abundance of wood is to be had, but it is 

 believed there is no adeqiiate supply of fresh water. 



From what was ascertained, the population was put down at two 

 hundred and fifty souls. 



The vessel left Ellice's Group the same evening, proceeded under 

 easy sail, and at daylight made the Depeyster Islands, distant three 

 and a half miles to the northwest. The two following days, they had 

 squally weather, accompanied with heavy rains, with the wind north- 

 ward, which obliged them to stand off from the island, as no work 

 could be done. The island was thus lost sight of, but on the 17th it 

 was again made from aloft, to the northward and westward. 



On the 18th, the trade-wind set in and brought fine weather; but 

 exceedingly warm, the thermometer standing at 85° in. the shade. 



They surveyed this island ; and on the same day, Tracy's Island, 

 whose native name is Oaitupu, was in sight to the eastward. The 

 observations placed it in latitude 7° 28' 00" S., and longitude 178° 

 43' 35" E. It is well covered with trees, and to all appearance as 

 extensive as Depeyster Island. As the wind was directly contrary, 

 and a strong current flowing to the west, Captain Hudson thought it 

 would be a waste of time to attempt to reach it. 



Several canoes, with the natives of Depeyster's Group or Island, 

 came off to the ship : they used triangular sails, similar to those of 

 the rest of Polynesia. The natives proved to be of the same race as 

 those of Ellice's Group; speaking the same language, and tattooed 

 after the same fashion. 



In colour, however, many of them were rather darker ; but few 

 were above the middle size, and none of them had the manly beauty 

 of the Samoans. A greater variety of fashions prevailed among them, 

 which exhibited itself more particularly in their hair. Some wore it 

 like that of the Feejees, and the locks were frequently of a red- 

 dish brown, although the natural colour was black. Their skin was 

 coarse and rough to the touch ; in many it was disfigured after a 

 singular fashion, and in some it appeared as if a scurf prevailed, 

 resembling a person whose skin was peeling off from the effects 

 of the sun; in others, the stage of the disease was seen farther 



