fine arts, and they can imitate almost any action without words. A
favourite amusement is to gather in the dusk of the evening, crowned
with flowers, or wearing fanciful dresses, and sing or dance together by
the light of the fire-flies.

The inhabitants of the whole island live as one happy family.
Recognising their kinship by intermarriage, and their isolation in the
world, they never forget that the good or ill of a part is the good or
ill of the whole, and their object is to secure the happiness of one and
all. It is considered right to help another in trouble before thinking
of oneself.

When Gazen explained the doctrine of "the struggle for existence ending
in the survival of the fittest" to Otare, he replied that it was an
excellent principle for snakes; but he considered it beneath the dignity
and wisdom of men to struggle for a life which could be maintained by
the labour of love, and ought to be devoted to rational or spiritual
enjoyment.

Thanks to the helpful spirit which animates them, and the bounty of
Nature, nobody is ever in want. As a rule, the garden around each home
provides for the family, and any surplus goes to the public stores, or
rather free tables, where anyone takes what he may require.

As I have already hinted, personal merit of every kind is honoured
amongst them.

Dinus, the gentleman who received us on the night of our arrival, is the
chief man or head of the community, and was appointed to the post for
his wisdom, character, and age. He is assisted in the government by a
council of a hundred men, and there are district officers in various
parts of the country.

They have no laws, or at all events their old laws have become a dead
letter. Custom and public opinion take their place. Crime is practically
unknown amongst them, and when a misdemeanour is committed the culprit
is in general sufficiently punished by his own shame and remorse.
However, they have certain humane penalties, such as fines or
restitution of stolen goods; but they never resort to violence or take
life, and only in extreme cases of depravity and madness do they
infringe on the liberty of an individual.

Quarrels and sickness of mind or body are almost unknown amongst them.
The care and cure of the person is a portion of the art of life as it is
taught in the schools.

An account of this remarkable people would not be complete without some
reference to their religion; but owing to their reticence on sacred
s