d their waists by the
sleeves, and pants twisted turban-wise about their heads. Tui was
called, and requested to inform them that they must dress properly,
after the fashion of the white man, for that any impromptu improvements
upon our method of clothes-wearing could not be permitted. As they were
gentle, tractable fellows, they readily obeyed, and, though they must
have suffered considerably, there were no further grounds for complaint
on the score of dress.

It has been already noticed that they were Roman Catholics--all except
Tui, who from his superior mental elevation looked down upon their
beliefs with calm contempt, although really a greater heathen than any
of them had ever been. It was quite pathetic to see how earnestly they
endeavoured to maintain the form of worship to which they had been
accustomed, though how they managed without their priest, I could not
find out. Every evening they had prayers together, accompanied by many
crossings and genuflexions, and wound up by the singing of a hymn in
such queer Latin that it was almost unrecognizable. After much wondering
I did manage to make out "O Salutaris Hostia!" and "Tantum Ergo," but
not until their queer pronunciation of consonants had become familiar.
Some of the hymns were in their own tongue, only one of which I call now
remember. Phonetically, it ran thus--

"Mah-lee-ah, Kollyeea leekee; Obselloh mo mallamah. Alofah, keea ma toh;
Fah na oh, Mah lah ee ah"--

which I understood to be a native rendering of "O Stella Maris!" It was
sung to the well-known "Processional" in good time, and on that account,
I suppose, fixed itself in my memory.

Whenever any of them were ordered aloft, they never failed to cross
themselves before taking to the rigging, as if impressed with a sense
of their chance of not returning again in safety. To me was given the
congenial task of teaching them the duties required, and I am bound to
admit that they were willing, biddable, and cheerful learners. Another
amiable trait in their characters was especially noticeable: they always
held everything in common. No matter how small the portion received by
any one, it was scrupulously shared with the others who lacked, and this
subdivision was often carried to ludicrous lengths.

As there was so reason to hurry south, we, took a short cruise on the
Vasquez ground, more, I think, for the purpose of training our recruits
than anything else. As far as the results to our profit were