more tobacco, which we
gave them, together with some beads and knives." Finally, the woman,
influenced by so fair an example, parted with her sole garment, in
return for a little more tobacco, some beads, and some looking-glasses,
which were thrown into the canoe.

"The party consisted of a man, a woman, and a lad; and, I think," says
Lady Brassey, "I never saw delight more strongly depicted than it was on
the faces of the two latter, when they handled, for the first time in
their lives probably, some strings of blue, red, and green glass beads.
They had two rough pots, made of bark, in the boat, which they also
sold, after which they reluctantly departed, quite naked but very happy,
shouting and jabbering away in the most inarticulate language
imaginable. It was with great difficulty we could make them let go the
rope, when we went ahead, and I was quite afraid they would be upset.
They were all fat and healthy-looking, and, though not handsome, their
appearance was by no means repulsive; the countenance of the woman,
especially, wore quite a pleasing expression, when lighted up with
smiles at the sight of the beads and looking-glasses. The bottom of
their canoe was covered with branches, amongst which the ashes of a
recent fire were distinguishable. Their paddles were of the very
roughest description, consisting simply of split branches of trees, with
wider pieces tied on at one end with the sinews of birds or beasts."[31]

* * * * *

A fine contrast to these gloomy scenes is presented by Lady Brassey's
description of a coral island, one of those almost innumerable gems
which stud the broad bosom of the Pacific, like emeralds embossed on a
shield of azure and silver. It was the first land she touched in the
great South Sea. A reef of glowing coral enclosed a tranquil lagoon, to
which the green shores of the island gently sloped. The beauty of this
lagoon would need a Ruskin's pen to reproduce it in all its exquisite
and manifold colouring. Submarine coral forests, of every hue, enriched
with sea-flowers, anemones, and echinidae, of unimaginable brilliancy;
shoals of the brightest fish flashing in and out like rainbow gleams;
shells of gorgeous lustre, moving slowly along with their living
inmates; fairy foliage of fantastic sea-weeds stirred into tremulous
motion by the gliding wave; upon these the enchanted gaze dwelt in the
depths of the lagoon, while the surface glowed with every po