4i4 
POLYNESIAN RESEARCHES. 
A few native houses were visible: there were not 
probably more than ten or twelve in the district, and 
the inhabitants might be occasionally seen guiding the 
light canoe across the bay, or leisurely walking beneath 
the grateful shade of the spreading trees. They were 
the rude untutored tenants of the place 3 their appearance 
and their actions were in perfect keeping with the scenes 
of wildness by which they were surrounded. The 
only clothing most of them wore was: a girdle of cloth 
bound loosely round the waist, and a shade of cocoa- 
nut leaves over their foreheads. Notwithstanding this, 
it was impossible to behold without emotion either 
the scenery or the inhabitants. 
The accompanying Plate exhibits an accurate i*epre- 
sentation of the outline and character of the scenery in 
the north-eastern parts of the district and hajrbour, 
although it was taken at a period subsequent to our 
arrival, when the landscape had been improved by partially 
clearing the ground near the shore, and erecting a num¬ 
ber of houses. 
In the forenoon of the day after we came to anchor, 
accompanied by Matapuupuu, we walked through the 
district, in search of a hous 3 for Mr. Orsmond and myself, 
and at length selected one on the southern side of the bay; 
belonging to Taaroarii, the young chief of the island, 
while Mr. and Mrs. Williams were accommodated with 
another belonging to Maau, a raatira, who resided near 
the anchorage. Towards noon, our goods were most of 
them landed, and taken into our new habitation. It was 
a large oval building, standing within ten or twelve 
yards of the sea, without either partitions or even sides, 
consisting simply of a large roof, supported by three 
pillars along the centre, and a number round the sides. 
