CHAPTER III. 
MANNERS AND CUSTOMS OF THE KINGSMILL 
ISLANDERS. 
184 1 . 
In order to obtain all the information possible from Kirby and Wood, 
Captain Hudson placed them under the immediate control of Mr. Hale, 
the philologist. This gentleman had thus an opportunity to examine 
and cross-question them, during the whole time they remained on board 
the Peacock. To his report to Captain Hudson, I am principally 
indebted for the following information respecting the entire group. 
Captain Hudson states to me, that the opportunity Mr. Hale enjoyed 
was the very best for eliciting information, as they were upwards 
of a month on board the ship, and were under examination day after 
day. 
Their accounts are deemed entitled by Captain Hudson and his 
officers to much credit, from the fact that many things had passed 
under their own eyes that perfectly agreed with the accounts that 
Kirby, in particular, gave; and he was found to have obtained much 
fluency in speaking their language. It is likewise some confirmation 
of Kirby’s account, that Wood’s in many particulars corresponded with 
it, and in all as much so as could be expected between islanders that- 
although allied in race, are now living under totally different circum 
stances. Wood, it must be observed, had not, though a much longer 
resident than Kirby, acquired so thorough a knowledge of the language, 
or of their manners and customs, principally, it was thought, from a 
want of aptitude for such observation. 
The Kingsmill Group consists of fifteen islands, of which the 
geographical positions have been already given in speaking of them 
separately. 
( 79 ) 
