Wild Life in Southern Seas. 
284 
all the women were dressed in long gowns of 
the brightest colours—red, green, blue, scarlet, 
and indeed of every other hue imaginable ; 
and that their long, coarse black hair hung 
loosely down upon their backs like horses’ 
tails, when the boat touched the landing place, 
and the noise, which had been bad enough 
before, now became simply indescribable ; and 
then, before I could recover my dazed senses, we 
were fairly rushed by hundreds of women and 
girls, who fought and struggled with each other 
for the privilege of shaking hands with the 
“ new ” papalagi (white man) and his child, 
who had come to live among them. 
Up the rocky path we were borne towards 
the house of one of the resident white traders, 
whose guests we were to be till my own house 
was put in readiness. Presently we reached his 
gate, and here there was a mad rush to get 
inside. My little daughter, who was close 
behind me, carried by a pleasant-faced woman 
named Hakala, began to get terrified at the 
deafening noise and excitement. A short, 
muscular-looking young native with a light- 
brown skin and dandified black moustache, 
pushed through the women, knocked them 
