72 
ELLICE’S AND KINGSMILL GROUP. 
island is of the figure of a triangle, with its apex to the south, and its 
sides are about fourteen miles in length. The southeast side is a con¬ 
tinuous grove of cocoa-nut and pandanus, with some undergrowth; on 
the other two sides is a reef, which is awash, excepting the northwest 
point, in which there is a small inlet. 
Makin is of much smaller dimensions, being but six miles long: it 
varies in width from half a mile to a mile. Its northern point lies in 
latitude 3° 20' 43" N., and longitude 172° 57' E. This small island is 
the seat of government, and the natives now unite both names under 
the one of Makin. 
It was soon evident that the island was thickly inhabited; for when 
the ship reached the lee side, in the afternoon, about twenty canoes 
came off, containing from five to ten natives in each, and in one of 
them was a white man, who was clothed in mats. The ship was im¬ 
mediately hove-to to take him on board, and he gave his name as 
Robert Wood (alias Grey), a Scotchman by birth, who was left by his- 
own wish on the island, seven years before, by the English whaling 
brig Janie, of London, sailing from Sydney. He was under so great 
excitement as to render his utterance quite unintelligible at times, and 
some amusing scenes took place in consequence. On his reaching the 
deck, he first inquired if he w T ould be permitted to go on shore again ; 
and then, who was king of England; if there was peace with America; 
for he had thought there must be a war. He had seen no white men 
since he landed, and said that he had become old and grayheaded. 
To prove the latter assertion he pulled off his apology for a hat, and 
displayed a most luxuriant growth of jet-black hair. 
He had not been on board long before he asked for a passage to 
some civilized land; and when he w T as informed that his. wishes 
would be gratified, he seemed for a time beside himself from excess 
of joy. His feelings w r ere evinced in his endeavours to interpret the 
questions to the natives; he almost invariably repeated to them what 
was said to him in English, in the same language; and gave back their 
answers or expressions in the island dialect. This had a droll effect, 
and he had frequently to be reminded that he was an interpreter. 
Wood says, that the natives had always treated him kindly; and 
for the first few months after his arrival among them, they carried 
him about on their shoulders (he was the first white man that many 
of them had ever seen), and almost deified him. They have no wars, 
and very few arms, and seldom quarrel, except about their women. 
The punishment of death is inflicted on those who infringe the seraglio 
of the chiefs. 
In the short intercourse the Peacock had with the natives of this 
