THE MALAY RACE. 



99 



syphilitic disease to Europeans ; a point of some medical importance ; 

 and my inquiries resulted in the conviction that the native testimony 

 was to be relied on. The habits of the people favouring a rapid ex- 

 tension, the disease is at present unusually diffused, though apparently 

 confined to the milder form. Parturition was reported to be extremely 

 easy. 



OTHER POLYNESIANS. 



I shall here insert some scattered notices of Polynesians inhabiting 

 for the most part islands and groups not visited by the Expedition. 



In the early part of the Voyage, the Vincennes touched at Uea, or 

 Wallis' Island ; which is situated less than three days' sail to the 

 westward of Samoa. It seemed not more than three hundred feet 

 in elevation, and consisted of one principal and several smaller islets, 

 all enclosed within a common reef. Cocoa palms were observed 

 to be abundant. A white flag was flying near an opening in the 

 reef; and "a canoe came off with a native, who spoke broken Eng- 

 lish, and offered to pilot us in." I lost the opportunity of being present 

 at this interview. 



On the succeeding day, we came in sight of Hoorn Island ; which 

 is about " two thousand feet in elevation," and resembles Manua, 

 except that it is larger and a little more broken. Cocoa palms were 

 seen; but we did not approach near enough to hold any communica- 

 tion with the inhabitants. Specimens of their cloth, obtained subse- 

 quently from a trader, show analogy with the Feejeean article. 



The king of Rotuma was residing at the heathen villatre in Tono-a- 

 taboo; an individual of large stature, having the nose slightly arched, 

 an unusual circumstance in the Malay race. His attendants, how- 

 ever, from the same island, were not distinguishable from the Tonga 

 men around. "He had been brought here by a whale-ship, togetlier 

 with his numerous wives:" and when questioned on the subject of 

 his rank, he manifested some diffidence. He was among those who 

 recognised the Vincennes, having seen her during her former cruise. 



Another body of six or eight Rotuma people, had been conveyed 

 in a trading vessel to Muthuata, in the Feejee Islands. A woman 

 was of the party, whose husband was shortly afterwards put out of 



