14 BOWDITCH ISLAND. 



to repeat, in a tremulous and agitated tone, " Nopo kilalo, mataku au" 

 (sit down, I am afraid). A continued desire was manifested that our 

 people should depart, and take the presents they had offered. 



Every endeavour was made to quiet their fears, and to convince 

 them that our people did not come from the sun ; but nearly an hour 

 elapsed before they were tranquillized. After this, they became more 

 familiar; but their manners continued to evince the same mixture of 

 timidity and friendliness that had been observed at Oatafu. They were 

 induced to trade after they were quieted, when fish-hooks and knives 

 were in great request, for which mats, fishing implements, model canoes 

 two or three feet long, wooden boxes with covers, cut out of the solid 

 wood, and cocoa-nuts, were given. 



When the king had been presented with a variety of articles, he gave 

 in return a mat and inaro, after which he made a move towards his 

 town, a few hundred yards distant, whither the whole party followed 

 him. It was with difficulty that he could walk, in doing which he 

 required the aid of an assistant. He at first objected to their accom- 

 panying him, saying it was " e sa" (sacred). The whole islet was 

 covered with a grove of cocoa-nut trees, under whose shade about 

 sixty houses were scattered, only a few yards from each other, and 

 resembling those described at Oatafu, though better built and larger. 



The most remarkable building was that which they said was their 

 " tui-tokelau" (house of their god). This stood in the centre, and was 

 of an oblong shape, fifty by thirty-five feet, and about twenty feet in 

 height. The roof was supported in the centre by three posts, two feet 

 in diameter, while under the place on which the rafters rested, were 

 many short and small posts: all were very roughly hewn, and placed 

 only a few feet asunder. The roof was concave, and extended beyond 

 the posts at the eaves ; the thatching was tied together, which, hanging 

 down, resembled at a distance the curtain of a tent or marquee. All 

 the sides were open, excepting a small railing, about fifteen inches high, 

 around the foundation, which allowed the free passage of the air 

 through. It was one of the most beautiful and pleasant spots, and is 

 well represented in the opposite plate, from a drawing by Mr. Agate. 

 They were at first unwilling that the officers should enter; but upon the 

 explanation, that what was taboo for them, would not be so for the 

 Papalangis, they were admitted by an old priest, but not without reluc- 

 tance. 



The edifice contained but little furniture. Around the eaves a row 

 of mother-of-pearl shells was suspended, giving the appearance of a 

 scolloped curtain. The whole was covered with mats. In the centre, 

 around the largest pillar, a great number of enormous benches, or 



