64 ELLICE'S AND KINGS M ILL GROUP. 



and constant practice of attempting to cut off all vessels or boats that 

 may visit their islands. Although I have no reason to come to this 

 conclusion from our own knowledge respecting this island, yet from 

 all the accounts of those who have resided some time among like 

 savages, their first idea is always to capture or possess themselves of 

 the vessel or any of the boats. We have seen that this is put in 

 practice among the Feejees, and others, who formerly regarded all 

 vessels wrecked as sent to them as a gift from the gods. 



Very few articles escaped the general conflagration, but of these 

 some were brought off to the ship ; among which were two skulls, 

 that had been well polished and cleaned. These were found in the 

 loft of one of their houses, and had evidently been preserved, with 

 great care, as relics. 



There are but few domestic animals on this island : a dog, two or 

 three cats, and a few fowls, were all that were seen. Rats are in 

 abundance, as has been shown by the care the natives take to protect 

 their lofts from these very troublesome creatures. 



The food of the inhabitants consists principally of fish, cocoa-nuts, 

 the fruit of the pandanus, taro, and api ; to these may be added 

 tobacco. They have but few modes of dressing these articles. The 

 fruit of the pandanus they use as food, which was considered by the 

 natives as a great delicacy ; it may be said to be exceedingly coarse, 

 so much so, that the fibres of the pandanus are seen in their excre- 

 ment in great quantities; even the husks of the young cocoa-nuts 

 are eaten. 



No land-birds were seen but curlews, golden plovers, turnstones, 

 noddies, and white terns ; many whales' bones were strewed over the 

 beach. 



This was the first place where they had observed the tridachna 

 gigas : they were of enormous size ; the natives used them for troughs, 

 for many purposes, around their houses. 



Necklaces of human teeth were also prized, and brought off for 

 sale. 



During the day of the 9th, the thermometer stood in the sun at 

 159° Fahrenheit. 



The character of these islanders is the most savage of any that we 

 met with ; their ferocity led to the belief that they were cannibals, 

 although no positive proofs were seen of it. They are under no 

 control whatever, and possess little of the characteristic hospitality 

 usually found in savage nations. It was observed also that their 



