es are a highly
intelligent race of Malayo-Polynesians who, despite their being citizens
of the French Republic, never forget that they were redeemed from
savagery by Englishmen, and a _taata Peretane_ (Englishman) is an
ever-welcome guest to them. The facilities for visiting the different
islands of the Society Group are very good, for there is quite a fleet
of native and European-owned vessels constantly cruising throughout the
archipelago. To cross the island of Tahiti from its south-east to its
north-west point is one of the most delightful trips imaginable. Then
again, the Hervey or Cook's Group, which consist of the fertile islands
of Mangaia, Rarotonga, Atui, Aitutaki, and Mauki, are well worth
visiting. The people speak a language similar to that of Tahiti, and
they are a fine, hospitable race, albeit a little over-civilised. Both
of these groups can be reached from Auckland by sailing vessels, but
not direct from Sydney. As for the lonely islands of the North Pacific,
they are too far afield for any one to visit but the trader or the
traveller to whom time is nothing.

* * * * *

FOOTNOTES:

1: Literally, "clear crony."

2: Port.

3: Happiness.

4: A libertine, profligate.

5: My love to you, Pakia; are you well?

6: White foreigners.

7: Frank.

8: Small-pox.

9: An accordion.

10: Idler, gad about--a Samoan expression.

11: German.

12: The Tokelau and Ellice Islanders are much amused at the white man's
method of hauling in a heavy fish hand _over_ hand. This to them is
"_faka fafine_"--i.e., like a woman.

13: Cayse.

14: NOTE BY THE PUBLISHER.--This incident is related by the author in
"By Reef and Palm" under the title of "The Rangers of the Tia Kau."

15: PUBLISHER'S NOTE.--This Alan Strickland is the "Allan" who has so
frequently figured in the author's other tales of South Sea life,
notably in the works entitled "By Reef and Palm" and "The Ebbing of
the Tide."

16: Councillors.

17: _Apo! lima_! "Be quick with your hand!" The passage is narrow and
dangerous, even for canoes, and the steersman, as he watches the
rolling surf, calls out _Apo, lau lima_! to his crew--an expression
synonymous to our nautical, "Pull like the devil!"

End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of By Rock and Pool on an Austral Shore,
and Other Stories, by Louis Becke

*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ROCK