which I had
spoken, and overhaul and re-stow the boat by daylight.

"Look astern," cried Lucia, as I shall now call her; "isn't it
pretty? And see, there is another fleet ahead of us, and much nearer."

[Illustration: Began their flying-fish catching 120]

The canoes we had left behind us had begun their flying-fish catching,
and a long line of brightly burning, isolated flames was lighting up
the sea all around, revealing the dark bodies of the fishers, with four
paddles sending each canoe through the water, while in the bows stood
a fifth, sweeping the water deftly with a scoop net attached to a pole
twelve feet in length, his movements guided by a huge torch or flare of
dried coco-nut leaves, held aloft by a naked boy standing on the canoe
platform amidships. It was indeed a pretty sight, for at times the long
line of fires would make a graceful sweeping curve, and then almost
unite in a circle, then again open out with a fan-like movement, and
advance once more. We watched the fleet astern a little while, and then
found ourselves in the midst of the one we had seen ahead. There
were over fifty canoes, all manned by Taritai people. They hailed
us vociferously, wished us good luck, and as we sailed through their
blazing lines of fire they threw so many flying-fish on board that
not only the decks were covered, but hundreds, striking against the
mainsail, fell into the cabin, and lay there like moving bars of
brightest silver.

"_Tiakako, Simi! Tiakapo, Lucia! Tiakapo, Niabon!_" they shouted to us,
as we drew away from them, after throwing them some tobacco.

By daylight we were abreast of the islet, and due north of us could
just see the tops of the coco-nuts on Apaian Lagoon showing above the
sea-line, ten miles distant, and then, to our annoyance, the wind died
away, and there was every indication of there being a dead calm till the
evening. However, it could not be helped, so we pulled in right up to
the beach, and let the two women step ashore to get breakfast ready.
Tepi, picking out the youngest and fattest of the pigs, knocked it on
the head, and cutting the thongs of the others tumbled them over the
side. They soon recovered themselves, and went off. Then followed a
massacre of a dozen of the fowls, the liberation of the rest, and the
throwing away of the greater portion of the heavy coconuts. The bundles
of mats I threw ashore to Niabon, as they would be useless to shield us
from the rain which might fal