THE MALAY RACE. 



75 



through the coral reef : and vessels being thus excluded, very little 

 change had taken place in the primitive manners of the inhabitants. 



Two boats landed at Sapapali; and on reaching the English mis- 

 sion house, a number of the natives collected around us, having 

 "never before seen so many White men." We learned that remarks 

 were made complimentary to the good looks of our party ; and that 

 some declared "they would like to go to England, since it contained 

 so many handsome people." In company with Lieut. Maury, I re- 

 mained on shore for nine days; but as time at the outset was a matter 

 of uncertainty, my first excursion was directed into the Interior. 



Six natives were procured as guides, but before proceeding further, 

 it was found necessary to obtain leave of the ' keeper of the forest;' a 

 functionary, whose existence was now for the first time brought to 

 light, and who, as will be seen presently, holds an important office in 

 times of scarcity. This man joined our party, and proved a somewhat 

 more efllcient woodsman than the others; for I soon found a wide dif- 

 ference between them and the Taheitians. 



I did not get more than eight miles from the coast, rather, however, 

 from the want of an interpreter, than from any natural obstacles. 

 The weather, indeed, was rainy ; but the forest was not seriously in- 

 cumbered with undergrowth, and was composed of loftier trees than I 

 have seen in the other Pacific islands. The Interior appeared to be 

 not only uninhabited, but unvisited ; an unexpected circumstance in 

 this quarter of the globe. 



On the second day out, I was abandoned by most of my guides ; 

 but in the evening, they re-assembled at the camp. The principal 

 motive which had induced them to offer their services, was now 

 apparent, as I perceived that each man had loaded himself with wild 

 yams: (a species not seen elsewhere, which yields a profusion of 

 roots, and forms a safeguard against famine.) One of my astute 

 companions proved to be the elder brother in a large family, and 

 the father being deceased, the duty devolved upon him "of bringing 

 in all the provisions; while as in similar instances, he was exposed 

 to jeers in return for his trouble." 



A Samoa pillow had been prepared for my supposed convenience. 

 The model was subsequently found to be Feejeean, somewhat varied 

 and mitigated by the substitution of bamboo for solid wood. This 

 imitation deserves attention, for the physical reason which gave rise 

 to the custom, does not exist in Polynesians. 



On returning to the coast, the sound produced by the beating of 



