LETTER XVI.] 



NATIVE CURIOSITY. 



153 



bundles of ft leaves are lying about. Thirteen horses are 

 tethered outside, some of which brought the riders who escorted 

 me triumphantly from the head of the valley. The foreheads 

 of the precipices opposite are reddening in the sunset, and 

 between them and me horses and children are constantly swim- 

 ming across the broad, still stream which divides the village 

 into two parts ; and now and then a man in a malo, and chil- 

 dren who have come up the river swimming, with their clothes 

 in one hand, increase the assemblage. 



All are intently watching me, but are as kind and good- 

 natured as possible; and my guide from Waipio is discoursing 

 to them about me. He knows a little abrupt, disjointed, almost 

 unintelligible English, and comes up every now and then with 

 an interrogation in his manner, "Father? mother? married? 

 watch ? How came ? " " You " appears beyond his efforts. 

 I Kilaitea ? Lunalilo ? " Then he goes back and orates 

 rapidly, gesticulating emphatically. A very handsome, pleasant- 

 looking man, with a red sash round his waist, who, I under- 

 stand from signs, is the schoolmaster, emerged from the throng, 

 and sat down beside me ; but his English appears limited to 

 these words, "How old?" When I told him by counting on 

 my fingers he laughed heartily, and said, " Too old," and he 

 told the others, and they all laughed. I have photographs of 

 Queen Victoria and Mr. Coan in my writing-book, and when I 

 exhibited them they crowded round me clapping their hands, 

 and screaming with delight when they recognized Mr. Coan. 

 The king's handwriting was then handed round amidst reverent 

 " ahs " and " ohs," or what sounded like them. This letter was 

 also passed round and examined lengthwise, sidewise, and up- 

 side down. They shrieked with satirical laughter when I 

 pressed some fragile ferns in my blotting-book. The natives 

 think it quite idiotic in us to attach any value to "withered 

 leaves." My inkstand with its double-spring lids has been a 

 great amusement. Each one opened both, and shut them 

 again, and a chorus of " maikat, mazkai" (good) ran round the 

 circle. They seem so simple and good that at last I have 

 trusted them with my watch, which excites unbounded admira- 

 tion, probably because of its small size. It is now on its travels ; 

 but I am not the least anxious about it. A man pointed to 

 a hut some distance on the other side of the river, and appeared 

 Interrogative, and on my replying affirmatively, he mounted a 

 horse and carried off the watch in the direction indicated. Mr, 

 Ellis came to this valley in a canoe, and he mentions that when 



