BOW DITCH ISLAND. 
7 
After the natives had thus made a precipitate retreat, the boats 
were lowered, and a large party proceeded to land at the nearest 
point. The landing was effected on the coral shelf with some diffi¬ 
culty, and they found the natives, who had come alongside, ready 
to receive them, with every sign of friendship. They had apparently 
recovered from their alarm, and met the officers before they reached 
the beach, greeting them by rubbing noses and throwing their arms 
around their necks. Their excitement seemed to be so great that it 
was difficult for them to continue still for a moment, distracted by 
the numerous novel things around them. Some of them, however, 
were exceedingly shy, and would not suffer themselves to be ap¬ 
proached ; others had greater confidence, but at the same time showed 
a respectful fear; while a few put their arms round the officers’ necks, 
and exhibited a boldness devoid of dread of any kind. The latter 
urged the party to accompany them to their village. These different 
states of feeling were associated with a peculiar mode of singing, 
which they would continue for some time, during which nothing could 
induce them to stop; this ended, their astonishment and excitement 
would again appear to find relief in vociferating with great volubility 
for several minutes, at the end of which they would break out in a 
hearty laugh, without the least apparent cause. These islanders are 
tattooed on the cheeks, breast, legs, and above the hips. 
A part of these marks consisted of two rows of lines running from 
the tip of the ear across the cheek and nose, with small crosses 
between. There were others passed around the body below the 
chest; many marks resembling fish were on the arms, and a sort 
of triangle, together with figures of turtles, on the breast. On the 
legs were many concentric rings. The markings were distinct and 
peculiar. 
Their village, to which our party went, was on the inner or lagoon 
side of the island, and contained about thirty houses, which were 
raised about a foot above the surrounding earth: they were of oblong 
shape, about fifteen feet high to the ridge-pole, sloping gradually, and 
of a convex form to within two or three feet of the ground; the roof 
was supported on high posts, whilst the lower part rested on short 
ones, three feet within the eaves, having a strong piece extending 
around, on which the rafters are tied; the gable-ends were over¬ 
topped by the roof, and seemed necessary to protect them from the 
weather. Below the eaves, the whole was open from the ground to 
the roof. The thatching, made of pandanus-leaves, was of great 
thickness, and put on loosely. The interior of the houses was very 
clean, but there was no furniture except a few gourds, and a reclining 
