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 mate. 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. 



