I IO 
Wild Life in Southern Seas. 
of their gentleness and amiability. The men 
are all expert divers, and many of them display 
great skill in various handicrafts, such as 
carpentering, boat and house building, etc. For 
their knowledge of such they are indebted to 
Captain John English, a veteran and honoured 
old trader, who, looking for suitable labourers 
to work at his coconut oil manufactory of 
Fanning’s Island in i860, visited Rakahaaga 
and Manhiki and took some hundreds of them 
away with him to that isolated atoll. The 
aptitude they displayed in learning the arts of 
civilisation was truly wonderful, and the old 
captain took a natural and sincere pride in his 
pupils, and on their return to their home some 
three years later they effected a radical change in 
the condition of their fellow-countrymen by teach¬ 
ing them all the knowledge they had acquired 
during their sojourn with the old sailor. 
The houses are built of coralline, and are 
constructed in a neat and substantial manner. 
Each dwelling is enclosed within a low wall of 
plastered coral stone and sand, and most have 
European doors and windows, constructed from 
native or imported timbers by the people them¬ 
selves. The floors are covered with beautifully 
