ELLICE'S AND KINGSMILL GROUP. 55 



that had yet been seen in the South Sea islands; slender and grace- 

 fully formed. Their complexion was of a clear brown, with full 

 bright eyes, thick and glossy black hair; and they appeared by no 

 means unconscious of their charms. 



The men became at once familiar and rude, seizing their arms and 

 putting their own about the officers' necks, desiring to lead them 

 onward, until they were obliged to use violence to keep them off. 



They reached the beach near what the natives termed their " ma- 

 riapu," or council-house, one of the large buildings that had been 

 before spoken of as visible from the sea. This stands in front of the 

 town, on a broad wharf, made of coral stones, built out from the 

 beach ; its dimensions, as measured, were one hundred and twenty 

 feet long, by forty-five feet wide, and to the ridge-pole forty feet high. 

 The ridge-pole was supported by five large posts, whence the roof 

 sloped on each side and reached within three feet of the ground ; the 

 rafters descended to a wall-plate, which rested on large blocks of 

 white coral, and were also supported by smaller posts, ten feet in 

 length, near the sides. At the ends, the roof was perpendicular for 

 eight or ten feet, and then they sloped off in the same manner as the 

 sides. The roof was thatched with pandanus-leaves. 



The crowd on the beach rapidly increased, pressing around, shout- 

 ing, gesticulating, and catching hold of them, to express their joy at 

 the visit ; at the same time stealing the tobacco they had brought to 

 barter, which operation was performed very dexterously. 



No chiefs, however, came forward to receive them when they ad- 

 vanced towards the mariapu, and entered, by passing under the roof. 

 Many natives were inside, who closed around them, and set up a 

 clamour that was deafening. The heat also was oppressive, and with 

 the rancid oil on their bodies, was almost stifling. 



An old man soon made his appearance, whose deportment, and that 

 of the crowd, pointed him out as the chief. He had, apparently, little 

 actual authority, for his presence seemed to have no effect in silencing 

 the natives. He pointed to the palisade around the town, whither he 

 invited them at once to go, and conducted them to his house. Very 

 few of the natives followed. On entering the palisade of slender 

 stakes, the village was found to be divided into lots, containing ten 

 or twelve houses, and enclosed by fences. Each of these enclosures, 

 it was supposed, belonged to a separate family. 



The chief led the way to his house, and invited them to enter, 

 which they did, and found its construction altogether different from 



