d fastened a piece of red cloth to a stick and floated it
astern, that the first canoe would come near. The natives approached,
picked up the red cloth, and in showing them pieces of hoop-iron, they
gradually came near enough to take hold of a piece, look well at it, and
finally decide to come alongside. Once alongside we were soon
fraternizing, and on seeing this other canoes came off, and trading for
curios began. Asking the captain to keep on trading as long as possible,
I hastened ashore, to see the chief of one of the villages. As long as
trading canoes remain alongside, the parties landing are perfectly safe;
care should be taken to get away as soon as possible after the canoes
leave the vessel.

The tide was far out when our boat touched the beach. A crowd met us,
and in every hand was a club or spear. I went on to the bow, to spring
ashore, but was warned not to land. I told them I had come to see the
chief, had a present for him, and must see him.

"Give us your present, and we will give it to him, but you must not
land."

"I am Tamate, from Suau, and have come as a friend to visit your old
chief, and I must land."

An elderly woman came close up to the boat, saying, "You must not land,
but I will take the present, or," pointing to a young man close by, "he
will take it for his father," he being the chief's son.

"No; I must see the chief for myself; but the son I should also like to
know, and will give him a present too."

Springing ashore, followed by the mate, a fine, daring fellow, much
accustomed to roughing it on the diggings, and not the least afraid of
natives, I walked up the long beach to the village, to the chief's house.
The old man was seated on the platform in front of the house, and did not
even deign to rise to receive us. I told him who I was, and the object
of my coming. He heard me through, and treated the whole as stale news.
I placed my present on the platform in front of him, and waited for some
word of satisfaction; but none escaped the stern old chieftain. Presents
of beads were handed to little children in arms, but indignantly
returned. Loud laughing in the outskirts of crowd and little jostling.

"Gould," said I to the mate, "I think we had better get away from here;
keep eyes all round, and let us make quietly to the beach."

To the chief I said, "Friend, I am going; you stay." Lifting his
eyebrows, he said, "Go."

We were followed by the crowd, one man with a l