s hut for the night; and we,
accordingly, gladly accompanied him. We found the feast preparing
outside the door, in the usual oven. Knowing that Englishmen have an
objection to eat dogs, he had killed a fatted pig. The oven was a
simple affair. A hole was dug in the earth, in which a large fire was
lighted upon some stones, till all the earth around was hot; piggy was
then put in, and the hole was covered up with loose earth; clouds of
steam then issued from the earth, and when no more was perceptible the
meat was declared to be cooked properly. We all sat round on mats in
the primitive fashion, the food being placed before us either in
calabashes or on large leaves. Instead of bread we had the bread-fruit.
It has somewhat the flavour of bread, and answers its purpose, but has
neither the appearance nor consistence of our staff of life. It is
about the size of the shaddock, and, when fresh gathered, the flavour of
the citron; but it is always eaten baked, when it has the solidity of a
roasted chestnut. Besides these luxuries, we had some fish nicely
cooked, which we ate with the thick interior of the cocoa-nut, which may
truly be called the cream, while the juice served to quench our thirst.
We had a number of visitors, who all, both men and women, chatted away
most merrily, especially the women, who kept up a continued peal of
laughter. At night the hut was lighted up with chips of a resinous
wood, called kukia, which were stuck all round on the posts which
supported the roof; and when we expressed a wish to retire to rest, mats
were hung up to partition off our sleeping chambers.

It is, I find, impossible to describe all the interesting habits and
customs we observed of this primitive people. The next day about noon
we found ourselves, on issuing from a grove of cocoa-nut trees, on the
shore of a beautiful bay, with high black rocks running out on either
side, and a yellow, sandy beach. From the way the sea broke, first with
great violence, and then a second time with diminished force, there were
evidently two lines of coral reefs, one without the other. A number of
people were seated on the rocks watching with great interest what was
going forward. Some men, women, and children were in the water, while
others with their boards, about a foot wide and four feet long, in their
hands, were preparing to follow them. Placing the boards on the water,
they threw themselves on them, and then swam out, diving und