WHALING VOYAGE. 
293 
light olive colour, and possessing pleasant features. 
They have a curious method of forming a ring of flesh 
from the lower part of their ears, through which in one 
individual, I could thrust one of my hands ; in this they 
place a banana leaf, rolled up to the size necessary to fill 
it; it is sometimes also ornamented with a flower. 
These islands are seldom visited by Europeans, and I 
am afraid that the natives are not of a very friendly dis- 
position ; for I saw many of their acts, although we only 
traded with them for a short time, which convinced me 
that they “ were sudden and quick in quarrel and since 
our visit I am sorry to have to record that those very 
people have massacred nearly the whole of the crew of a 
South-seaman, called the “ Falcon,” although I am unable 
to state what circumstances led to that catastrophe ; still, 
as I have before stated, my opinion is that a very trifling 
cause would be sufficient, especially with their advantage 
of overwhelming numbers. We obtained from these 
people a few shells, some of their dresses, and other 
curiosities, for pieces of old iron hoop, which they were 
very anxious to obtain. While we were trading with 
them, a very heavy squall arose, which being fair for us, 
we ran directly before it, and soon lost sight of those 
wild beings, leaving them in the greatest confusion. In 
consequence of the squall several of the natives who 
were on board, finding that we were leaving their little 
craft, jumped overboard and regained them in that way, 
and we soon perceived the crowd of canoes, which were 
close together when the wind came, running in all direc- 
tions against each other, all evidently in great confusion 
