THE PAPUAN RACE. 



161 



finding a person who could direct us to the summit. We at last 

 reached a position near it; and ascertained the height to be about 

 twenty-three hundred feet. 



On the 25th, I visited the village which is situated in a low and 

 fertile spot, about two miles back of Muthuata. I was conducted 

 to a house, where dinner happened to be ready ; consisting in this 

 instance, of arrow-root made from the Tacca ; and using as a spoon a 

 slip of cocoa leaf, according to the fashion of the country, I partook 

 of Feejee hospitality. 



On another day, Mr. Peale and myself, took a ramble along the 

 coast to the westward ; passing in the first place, through the banana 

 plantation, which as usual, appeared to be carried on by the joint 

 labour of the village. We proceeded about two miles to a small 

 stream ; where some natives, having formed dams, were engaged in 

 poisoning the fish with the stems of the climbing Glycine. Our Fee- 

 jee guide would not suffer us to taste the water. I was desirous of 

 purchasing some of the fish, of a woman who was standing a little 

 apart ; but, as was usual with the women when away from the villages, 

 she took to flight at our approach. We returned by an inland route ; 

 stopping at a cluster of three or four houses, into one of which we 

 were invited, and were offered yams. Our guide, it appeared after- 

 wards, had looked to us for protection in this excursion. 



In a country where there is hardly an interchange of friendly 

 visits, and where it is often a hazardous thing to go to the nearest 

 village, it may well be supposed that the inhabitants do not travel 

 much. Geographical knowledge is therefore extremely limited ; and 

 I can readily give credence to the allegation, " that many persons on 

 the larger Feejee islands are quite unaware of the existence of the 

 ocean." In this particular, there is a wide diff'erence from the Poly- 

 nesians, who have universally a thorough acquaintance with their 

 respective groups. 



On the 30th, an excursion was made to another portion of the 

 heights, whence a view was obtained of the Interior of the island ; a 

 region full of mountains, with some sharp peaks that appeared to be 

 not less than four thousand feet in elevation. In returning, our party 

 passed through another hamlet of mountaineers, and we were invited 

 into one of the houses. The male inhabitants were absent at the 

 time, engaged, it was said, in "cooking a man;" a statement which, 

 although it was not doubted, we did not feel particularly desirous of 

 verifying. 



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