Niue. 
299 
Silence for a few seconds, and then the trader 
calls out, “ Siau ma tolu pouna (103 lb.).” 
A sigh of relief comes from the natives, and 
the six young ecclesiastical gentlemen with 
pencils murmur, “ E tonu ” (correct). 
“ Three pounds off for the basket,” says the 
trader, as he hands the seller an I.O.U. for the 
amount due to him. A howl of rage, and then 
a chorus of such expressions as “ Robber, tagata 
kolea (bad man), pikopiko (liar). ’Tis a shame 
to say it weighs 3 lb. It weighs but 1 lb.” 
“All right,” says the trader placidly, “capsize 
it, and let us weigh the basket.” The basket is 
a thick, heavy one of green coconut leaves, made 
purposely heavy, and weighs just 6 lb. “Here, 
give me back that bit of paper, and the trader 
scratches out the figures 100 and writes 97 
instead. 
Probably the seller will swear, if not at the 
trader, at himself. Then he gives place to some 
one else. At the end of three or four hours the 
white man calls out that he is tired and hungry, 
wants to eat something, and his dinner awaits 
him. If the natives are in a good temper, they 
grumble good-naturedly, and tell him not to 
bother about his dinner, they will send some 
