216 MBUA BAY AND MUTHUATA, 
rule over nearly the whole island. The bay of Sandalwood was then 
thickly populated, and appeared to enjoy much political consideration 
in the group. Since the accession of the present Tui Mbua, Makatu, 
its authority is very much decreased, and it now is of scarcely any 
consideration at all. Makatu was born in the district of Nandi, but 
was a vasu of Mbua, and managed, when Rawaike died, to be chosen 
king. Since that time they have had continual civil wars, in which 
many of the people have been killed, while others have sought a diffe- 
rent abode. This last war, to which Captain Hudson put a momentary 
cessation, had lasted more than five months, during which time they 
had killed upwards of fifty of the enemy, and lost about thirty of their 
own men. Among the reasons assigned for not coming to terms long 
before was “the fear of being clubbed by the opposite party through 
treachery.” 
One of the surveying boats, with Passed Midshipman Blunt, re- 
turned from the island of Yendua, with James Strahan, seaman, be-' 
longing to the Vincennes, who had fallen from a tree while cutting a 
sprit, and broken his leg. The boat was again despatched, with an 
extra quantity of provisions, to make up for that consumed by the de- 
lay the accident had occasioned. 
On the 9th, many natives were on board, and gave an exhibition of 
a war-dance (dimba) on deck: many of the officers thought it bore a 
striking resemblance to the war-dance of New Zealand. The per- 
formers held a paddle in one hand, while with the other they struck 
their thighs, keeping time to a song from the whole. They moved 
slowly forward and backward, in a bending posture. On the finishing 
of the chorus they stopped simultaneously and stood upright, the leader 
repeating, in a hurried loud tone, a short recitative, which the rest 
answered by their usual guttural shout, huh! huh! huh! flourishing i 
their paddles in the air in great excitement. 
On the 10th, Mr. Spieden, purser of the Peacock, visited the shore 
for the purpose of purchasing provisions, and notice was given that all 
the produce they would bring would be purchased. In consequence 
of this the natives brought a quantity of yams, taro, papaws, shaddocks, 
lemons, &c., together with an abundance of crabs, of which, all that 
the boat could carry were purchased. Hatchets, knives, plane-irons, 
scissors, beads, fish-hooks, looking-glasses, red cloth, and red paint 
were given in return, of which the two latter articles were preferred. 
As Mr. Spieden was not able to carry away all they had collected, 
their expectations of a market were not realized, and they threw the 
remainder into the river, saying they had been told, ‘the white men 
never told lies, but they now saw they had two faces.” 
