e island of Olajava appeared in sight; and about seven
miles from a little island lying in its neighbourhood, several canoes,
carrying two or three men each, rowed towards us, deterred neither by
the distance nor the increasing darkness. Our visitors proved to be
merry fishermen, for their carefully constructed little canoes adorned
with inlaid muscle-shells, were amply provided with large angling hooks
made of mother-of-pearl, attached to long fine lines, and various kinds
of implements for fishing, and contained an abundance of fine live fish
of the mackerel kind.

An expression of openness and confidence sat on the countenances of this
people. Our purchases were carried on with much gaiety and laughter on
both sides. They gave us their fish, waited quietly for what we gave
them in return, and were perfectly satisfied with their barter.

Their attention was strongly attracted to the ship. They examined her
closely from the hold to the mast-head, and made many animated remarks
to each other on what they saw. If they observed any manoeuvres with
the sails or tackle, they pointed with their fingers towards the spot,
and appeared to watch with the most eager curiosity the effect produced.

It was evident that this people, sailors by birth, took a lively
interest in whatever related to navigation. Their modest behaviour
contrasted so strikingly with the impudent importunity of the
inhabitants of Maouna, that we should have been inclined to consider
them of a different race, but for their exact resemblance in every other
particular, even in the dressing of their hair, though this was even
more elaborately performed--an attention to appearance which is curious
enough, when compared with the dirty, uncombed locks of European
fishermen; but among the South Sea Islanders fishing is no miserable
drudgery of the lowest classes, but the pride and pleasure of the most
distinguished, as hunting is with us. Tameamea, the mighty King of the
Sandwich Islands, was a very clever fisherman, and as great an
enthusiast in the sport as any of our European princes in the stag
chase. As soon as the increasing darkness veiled the land from our
sight, our visitors departed, and we could hear their regular measured
song long after they were lost from view.

The little island they inhabit not being marked on any map, it is
probably a new discovery. By what name the natives called it I could not
learn; and therefore, to distinguish it from three