506 
POLYNESIAN RESEARCHES. 
people of Burder’s Point. They had gone to the moun¬ 
tains for food or timber^ and suddenly perceived a man 
approaching. As soon as he saw them, he fled precipi¬ 
tately; they followed, and, by lying in wait, ultimately 
succeeded in securing him. When spoken to, he did 
not reply, and seemed not to understand. They led him 
down to the shore. He evinced the greatest horror at 
the sight of men, but they took him to the chief’s house, 
treated him with kindness, and avoided crowding round 
him. Food and water were brought, which he refused. 
The first night, they kept watch; the next day, although 
they placed food before him, he refused it, and maintained 
the most entire silence. During the second night, he 
escaped from the house, fled to the mountains, and has 
never since been heard of. He did not appear to be ad¬ 
vanced in years, was without clothing when taken, and, 
although a finely formed man, exhibited one of the most 
afflicting spectacles it was possible to behold. 
It is supposed that, under the panic which seized those 
who were defeated in some of the battles that within the 
last fifty years have been fought in these portions of the 
island, he had fled to the mountain fastnesses in its more 
central parts, and perhaps had experienced a degree of 
mental aberration which had deprived him of memory, 
and had induced him to wander like a demoniac among 
the lonely rocks and valleys. It is reported by the natives 
that others have been seen, and that some of the inhabit¬ 
ants of the lowlands have been in danger of losing their 
lives from coming in contact with them. After the evi¬ 
dence of the facts above-mentioned, we cannot doubt the 
existence of such unhappy victims; but at the same time, 
the circumstance of their being so seldom seen, warrants 
the hope that they are not numerous. 
