8 
BOWDITCH ISLAND. 
stool, cut from a solid block of wood, having two legs at one end, 
which inclined it at an angle of nearly forty-five degrees: to show 
the manner of lying in it, they imitated a careless and comfortable 
lounge, which they evidently considered a luxury. It was conjec¬ 
tured that they had removed their various household utensils to a 
secret place. 
The most remarkable constructions of the islanders near the village, 
were three small quays, five or six feet wide, and two feet above the 
water, forming slips about ten feet wide: at the end of each of these 
was a small house, built of pandanus-leaves, partly on poles in the 
water. These appeared to be places for securing their canoes, and for 
the purpose of keeping their fishing implements. Three canoes were 
seen lying a short distance off in the lagoon, filled with the women 
and children. This was a precaution adopted to enable them to 
escape if it became necessary; yet they did not seem to apprehend 
any hostility. No kind of war implements was observed among them, 
and their bodies exhibited no marks of strife with each other. 
There was an open space in the town, covered with coral-sand 
and pebbles, which they called malse. When they were asked by 
Mr. Hale for their “ fale atua,” (house of God,) they pointed to a 
place at a distance, and evidently understood the meaning of the 
question. 
There was no cultivation whatever, and their only food appeared 
to be the cocoa-nut and fish. There were no animals seen, no fowls, 
dogs, or hogs. Captain Hudson left there a few young pigs, of which 
the natives took charge, but they did not evince that surprise which 
was expected at the sight of an unknown animal. 
They have no water on the island, and the supply is wholly obtained 
from excavations made in the body of the cocoa-nut trees, two feet 
from the ground. These trees are all dug out on the lee side, towards 
which all are more or less inclined. These excavations are capable 
of containing five or six gallons of water. 
Our gentlemen were under the impression that they saw the whole 
population, and counted forty male adults, which, on the supposition 
that they were one-third, would make the population one hundred and 
twenty. 
This island was discovered by Byron, in 1765, who reported it as 
destitute of inhabitants. The natives gave the name of their island 
as Oatafu, and acknowledged themselves the subjects of a chief who 
lived on a neighbouring island, called Fakaafo, pointing to a southerly 
direction. With this exception, they did not appear to possess the 
knowledge of any other islands but their own. 
