ELLICE'S AND KINGSMILL GROUP. 43 



found to be setting out of this passage at the rate of two and a half 

 miles per hour. 



When Lieutenant De Haven returned, he was accompanied by the 

 chief, who called himself both the chief and god of the island, Foilape. 

 He was a fine-looking man, about forty years of age, with prominent 

 features, his hair cut short and nicely oiled. His legs were swollen 

 with the elephantiasis. He was gaily dressed, with both the maro and 

 girdle, beside the square mat of various colours around his waist. He 

 saluted the officers with the rubbing of noses, and said that his name 

 had been Faikatea, which he had changed with Lieutenant De Haven. 

 He remained but a short time on board, and explained by his motions 

 the necessity of his leaving the ship before the sun went down. He was 

 very urgent that some of them should accompany him, and pass the 

 night at his village ; but finding nobody disposed to do so, he departed, 

 and the rest soon followed. 



This island was called by the natives Nukufetau; they were ac- 

 quainted with Fanafute, or Ellice's Island, and also with Oaitupu, or 

 Tracy's Island. On being asked if these were all the lands they knew 

 of, they said, pointing to the east, that beyond Oaitupu there were three 

 islands, called Oatafu, Nukunono, and Fakaafo, which it will be recol- 

 lected are those of the Union Group. Mr. Hale pressed the inquiry, if 

 this were all ; and with some hesitation they added the name of Oloo- 

 singa, which is one of the small eastern islands of the Samoan Group ; 

 but what seemed strange, they did not understand the name of Samoa. 

 On mentioning Tonga and Haabai, the names appeared to be recog- 

 nised. Some bananas attracting their attention, which they saw hanging 

 up, they called futi roturna ! Mr. Hale, in his inquiries, found the 

 pronunciations of these natives very distinct, and it enabled him better 

 to understand the orthography of their names. 



These islanders gave the name of their god as Foilape : on inquiry 

 being made if the Tui-Tokelau also lived there, they immediately 

 replied, that he was the god of Fakaafo, thus exhibiting an intimate 

 acquaintance with the Union Group. It is not a little remarkable that 

 many of the officers were struck with the great likeness that the chief 

 of the island, Faikatea, bore to Taupe, of Fakaafo. At Fakaafo, mention 

 was made of an island called Pokapoka : this name the natives of 

 Nukufetau recognised immediately, and said that it was an island 

 thickly inhabited. We have not been able to ascertain with what 

 island the name can be associated. All these circumstances induced a 

 strong belief that these islanders were derived, at no very remote 

 period, from those of the Union Group ; and the fact of the latter being 

 entirely ignorant of other lands, would lead more strongly to that belief. 



