PORTER’S JOURNAL. 55 
sailed from Nooaheeva, or Madison’s Island, in search of land to 
leward; they fell in with Roberts’ Islands to the N.W. where the 
natives go annually to collect the tail feathers of the Tropic bird, 
which there resort. Here one of the canoes remained, the others 
proceeded on their voyage running before the wind. After re¬ 
maining some time on the island, which produces only cocoa-nuts 
and some few other trees, they determined to return to Nooaheeva. 
One man and one woman remained on the island and built a hut. 
The canoe was never after heard of. The man died, and the wo¬ 
man was found and taken back by a canoe, which arrived there in 
search of feathers. Three or four days after the departure of the 
canoes, on these voyages of discovery, the priests come lurking 
to the houses of the inhabitants of the valley, whence they 
sailed, and in a squaking and affected voice inform them that they 
have found a land abounding in bread-fruit, hogs, cocoa-nuts, and 
every thing that can be desired, and invite others to follow them, 
pointing out the direction to sail, in order to fall in with this desi¬ 
rable spot. New canoes are constructed, and new adventurers 
commit themselves to the ocean, never to return. 
Ask them how they obtained their knowledge of those islands, 
and they tell your from their gods. They name six of them, two have 
already been mentioned, to wit: Vavao and Ootoopoo; the others 
are Hitahee, to the south of St. Christiana, and is said to be a small 
island. Nookuahee and Kappenooa, to leward of Madison’s Island, 
four days’ sail distant; and Pooheka, a fine island, said to lie to the 
westward of Roberts’ Islands, and the existence of it is not doubt¬ 
ed by them. 
Of bananas they count upwards of twenty different kinds, 
some approaching very near the plantain in their appearance, but 
it is certain that they have no such fruit on the island. The manner 
of ripening the banana is as Convenient and simple as it is expe¬ 
ditious: they dig in the ground a round or square hole, of about 
three feet in depth, made perfectly level at the bottom, and of the 
size suited to the quantity of bananas intended to be put into it. 
They then collect an oily nut, much resembling our common 
walnut, which is also used by them as candles. These are broken, 
mixed with the dirt, and strewed about the bottom of the hole. On 
this is laid a layer of grass, with which the sides are also careful- 
