62 



PHYSICAL HISTORY OF MAN. 



An important change had taken place in the social condition of the 

 human family; and the people we were now among, were not perma- 

 nent inhabitants of the islands on which we found them ; or at least, 

 they were accustomed to hold intercourse with other and distant 

 islands. 



Two large sea-going canoes, which had apparently conveyed the 

 whole party, were drawn up on the beach. Similar vessels are in 

 use throughout the Western Paumotus, making occasional voyages 

 to Taheiti ; but their proper rendezvous appears to be at Anaa or 

 Chain Island ; which is the centre of navigation in Eastern, as Tonga- 

 taboo is, in Western Polynesia. The Western Paumotuans, have in 

 consequence, experienced the influence of the general Polynesian 

 civilization. Their nationality was abundantly recognised at Taheiti. 



Ka7vaJ{:i was visible from Raraka, and on inquiry, the natives said, 

 there were people upon it. The party from the Vincennes, "did not 

 find them, and saw but two or three cocoa palms." 



The next island visited was Aratika, where a white flag was flying. 

 Among some twenty inhabitants, one man could speak a few words 

 of English ; and various articles were also seen, that had been derived 

 from Europeans. We were surprised at finding here a considerable 

 fresh- water pool. And for the first time, we met with the war-conch 

 (formed of the Triton variegatum), which is in general use among the 

 Pacific Islands. The portraits taken by Mr. Drayton, show the che- 

 quered pattern of tattooing, which seems distinctive of the Western 

 Paumotuans. 



Manhii was next visited ; and some of our party walked over to the 

 entrance of the lajroon, where some natives had established themselves. 

 They reported on their return, that the chief "declared himself a re- 

 lative of the one-armed chief of Raraka ; and spoke also of going over 

 to Ahii, (an island in sight,) to procure a certain kind of fish from 

 the lagoon." We subsequently landed on Ahii, and found a grove 

 of cocoa palms ; but no appearance of inhabitants. 



Rairoa, or Dean's Island, next offered its extensive outline of some 

 sixty miles in the longest diameter ; and being only in part visible 

 as we coasted along, it presented a novel appearance. We did not 

 land ; but at one point two small canoes came off to us. Tikehau, an 

 island in sight from the last, was passed chiefly during the night. 



On the following morning we were awakened at an early hour, to 

 see, as it was termed, a " real island." It presented a remarkable ap- 



