30 
BOW DITCH ISLAND. 
their friends and acquaintances of rank did not omit to pay them fre¬ 
quent visits. Among these was old Pea of Apia, Mole, and others. 
These calls ought to have been termed begging visits, as they seldom 
saw a thing that pleased them that they did not ask for. Mole brought 
a complaint to Captain Hudson, of an outrage by a white vagabond 
on shore; but it was shrewdly suspected that, notwithstanding his 
being a missionary teacher, his design was to get more presents from 
his parting friends. 
On the 23d, Captain Hudson was visited by Matetau, the cele¬ 
brated war-chief of Manono. In coming to the ship, he and his 
numerous retinue were overtaken by a violent shower of rain, which 
completely wet them. As the old chief was somewhat chilled and 
cold, Captain Hudson supplied him with a clean and dry shirt. He 
professed himself delighted; all was “very good,” captain, officers, 
and ship. His visit, like that of all the other chiefs, was evidently 
to receive his quantum of presents, and hence his desire to make 
himself as agreeable as possible. His features were more strongly 
marked than those of the islanders usually are; he is above the 
middle size, has an aquiline nose, and a high and retreating fore¬ 
head, with the frontal portion narrow, but widening behind the ears, 
having, as some thought, a strong resemblance to the chiefs of New 
Zealand. Mr. Agate succeeded in getting a good sketch of him. 
He adopted the usual Samoan custom of pleasing by flattery, gri¬ 
maces, and gesticulations, enacting, as was thought, a fight. He had 
picked up a few words of English, which he did not fail to make use 
of to attract attention. Owing to the necessity of getting under way, 
