e us leave to taste a meal prepared to welcome
us, which looked most uninviting, but turned out to be beautifully
cooked sago and cocoa-nut cream. We could not finish the generous
portions, and presently signed that we were satisfied; the chief
seemed to regret that we did not do more honour to his hospitality,
but he gave us permission to walk about. While all the other natives
ran about in great excitement over our visit, the good old man sat on
his throne all the time, quite solemnly, although I am convinced that
he was fairly bursting with curiosity. We hurried through the village,
so as to get a general idea of the houses and implements, and then
to the beach, which was a beautiful sight. Whereas on Melanesian
islands the dancing-grounds only are kept cleared, and surrounded
by thick shrubbery for fear of invasion, here all the underbrush
had been rooted out, and the shore was like a park, with a splendid
view through dark tree-trunks across the blue sea, while the golden,
godlike forms of the natives walked about with proud, regal gait,
or stood in animated groups. It was a sight so different in its
peaceful simplicity from what I was accustomed to see in Melanesia,
it all looked so happy, gay and alluring that it hardly needed the
invitations of the kind people, without weapons or suspicion, and
with wreaths of sweet-scented flowers around their heads and bodies,
to incline us to stay. Truly, the sailors of old were not to blame if
they deserted in numbers on such islands, and preferred the careless
native life to hard work on board a whaler. Again and again I seemed
to see the living originals of some classical picture, and more and
more my soul succumbed to the intoxicating charm of the lovely island.

But we could not stay; the steamer whistled, and we had to leave. A
young native was going to Norfolk Island, and he took leave of his
family and the chief in a manly way which was touching to witness. He
bowed and laid his face on the knees of some old white-haired men
with finely chiselled, noble faces. They seemed to bless him, then
they raised his head and tenderly pressed their faces against his,
so that their noses touched. The boy brushed away a tear and then
jumped bravely on board.

When we came on board, the steamer was crowded with natives, and
they refused to leave. We had to drive them away energetically, and
as their canoes were soon overcrowded, many of them jumped into the
water with shouts and