May.] THE NATIVES. 397 



the ardour of excitement had subsided, I distributed a few presents to 

 Nero and his principal attendants, for which they expressed no little 

 gratitude. Nero scorned to be outdone in acts of civility, and there- 

 fore sent off the canoes immediately ashore, which soon returned, 

 loaded with cocoanuts and other fruits, which he begged me to accept. 

 I then, at his request, accompanied him on shore, in his own canoe, 

 while Mr. Wallace followed me in the Antarctic's boat, well manned 

 and armed. 



On reaching the island, Nero conducted us to his house, as we then 

 understood it to be, which was only distinguished from the others by 

 its superior size and capacity. Here we partook of refreshments, 

 consisting of various sorts of fruits and fish, which we found very 

 palatable. We were seated on mats, with which the floor was covered, 

 while the rest of the chiefs, with some very pretty women, almost 

 entirely naked, with infants in their arms, formed a circle around 

 us ; but the centre point of attraction was evidently myself, they, 

 no doubt, considering me as the chief of some mighty tribe of a dis- 

 tant island. 



Having finished our repast, I presented the queen with a pair of scis- 

 sors, a small knife, and a few beads, which her majesty most gra- 

 ciously deigned to accept, and appeared to be in an ecstasy of delight, 

 especially with the scissors, of which I quickly taught her the use. 

 The knife and the scissors excited universal admiration, which was 

 quite natural in a group of beings who had never before seen a piece 

 of iron or steel, and whose best tools were made of a shell or a piece 

 of stone. 



The sensation which these treasures produced having somewhat 

 subsided, their curiosity was again directed to my goodly person. No 

 one, however, with the exception of King Nero himself, ventured to 

 touch me ; and he performed the feat with as much tremulous caution 

 as the novice evinces when for the first time he applies a lighted match 

 to the priming of a cannon. Having satisfied himself that I was con- 

 structed of bones and flesh, like his own race, and that the white paint 

 could not be rubbed ofF my ebony skin, he turned to his chiefs and 

 counsellors in great astonishment, and harangued them at some length, 

 on so wonderful a phenomenon. The whole company listened to him 

 with less reverence than amazement — remaining motionless as statues, 

 with straining eyes and gaping mouths. 



His majesty then desired me to open my vest and shirt-bosom, that 

 he might try the same test on the colour of my body ; but the result 

 only increased his astonishment. Every one of the men, by turns, 

 now approached, and satisfied themselves that my skin was neither a 

 white well-fitted garment, nor its colour the' effect of artificial means. 

 But not one of the females would venture to touch my bosom, and I 

 was inclined to attribute this shyness more to modesty and feminine 

 delicacy, than to personal fear. 



When their curiosity had been sufficiently satisfied in this particular, 

 I was presented by the females with several neat rows of shells, 

 which they took off their necks, arms, and legs, and put them on my 

 own. This act of courtesy was immediately copied by the chiefs, who 



