99 
gusto, that I have difficulty getting a non-scatological and non-sexual 
vocabulary from them. The hill is fantastically beautiful, with sweeping 
views of the Pacific. Off the south and southwestern coast are two enor- 
mous rocks protruding from the sea, some half mile to a mile from shore, 
and over these the wave crashes with better than twenty feet high surf to- 
day. These stones are visited in calmer times by the fishing canoes, but 
the people cannot lan^ on them. They are called Batu and Batu Oveiu, and 
between them, and the outer reef, far closer to shore, are large 
protrusions of smaller rocks, called Tetoka or, specifically, Te Urapatu 
Ngapua and Te Urapatu Tapu. Each of the houses seems to have a proper 
name, as does each residence. 
Specific names for the Chief’s house, and two successively Inland 
houses away from his are: Taeukene, Tunga Porau, and Pongatau, the home of 
Christopher. I must ask Rick whether these are not simply the married names 
of the residents — thus, Pu Pongatau lives in Pongatau! The canoes are also 
named . As we pass them, the wonderful huge Anuta canoes are 
all lined up, like sport cars in a showroom, with protective covers of 
plaited coconut matting, to keep the hot sun from drying them out and 
cracking them. Whether these names are proper names of canoes, or refer- 
ences to their owners, I am not yet sure. Only one canoe is now uncovered 
and on the beach at the "basis", or launching site, where the reef is most 
easily breached for exit or landing. Today, the sea is very high, and no- 
canoes can be launched. In really calm weather, as many as three canoes 
may be moved down the beach opposite to the "basis" for launching each day, 
for fishing beyond the reef. The high seas are out of all proportion 
to the winds, and this may represent the result of the hurricane some hun- 
dreds of miles to the east which has moved southward. We were told this by 
the ship’s radio yesterday, before the Alpha Helix took off to pick up Jean 
Guiart and deliver him to Santa Cruz, to catch the SOLAIR flight tomorrow 
morning. The ship will be sailing all today and tonight on these 
very rough seas. 
Our day started with our hosts waiting for us to arise and go to the 
Mota language church service with them. The church on this end of the 
island was only recently built at the Chief's instruction, for those who 
do not appreciate the mass in English. The new Mota language church is 
called St. James, and the English language church, near where we are housed 
in the school building, is St. John. Don and I attended the long morning 
service, with much kneeling and praying. 
Vaslana Ground, Anuta Island October 24, 1972 
Vasiana ground is, I think, the name of the school site adjacent to the 
public feasting area, just outside the school which stands before St. John 
Church. 
We had managed to get physical examinations done on 120 subjects, to 
push the documentation of the people on the Island from the 140 we bled to 
ISO exactly .. ..there are surely others, but not many. 
