the belief that they are cannibals; one seaman of
the expedition was carried off, and all attempts to rescue him were
unavailing. Clad in coats of mail, and helmets made of the skin of a
horny kind of fish, with weapons of the most frightful character, formed
from the teeth of some of the voracious monsters of the deep, they
appeared to the number of more than five hundred, prepared for
resistance; their numbers continuing to increase. The officer in
command, considered it both useless and dangerous to continue on the
land. Failing to procure the desired end, prior to returning, the
commanding officer determined to show the power of their arms, and
having shot the leader of the savages dead, by a rocket and a volley,
set their town, which was close to the beach, in flames; and the houses
being formed of easily combustible material, a very short time sufficed
to reduce the whole to ashes. The number of houses was supposed to be
about three hundred.

The people appear to be under no control whatever, and possess little of
the characteristic hospitality usually found among other savage tribes.

It was observed that their treatment of each other exhibited a great
want of feeling; and in many instances their practices were indicative
of the lowest state of barbarism. Their young girls are freely offered
for sale by their fathers and brothers, and without concealment; and to
drive a bargain is the principal object of their visits to a ship.

The _Kingsmill Group_, which consists of fifteen islands, are all of
coral formation--every one appears a continuous grove of cocoa-nut and
pandanus trees--they are all densely inhabited. From one of these
islands, John Kirby, a deserter from an English whaler, was taken, who
had resided there three years. He stated that the natives do sometimes
eat human flesh; but their general food is fish. That these islands
have been peopled at a period not very remote is tolerably certain, as
the natives state that only a few generations back, the people were
fewer than at present, and that then there were no wars.

The islanders of this group differ from other Polynesians, and they more
nearly resemble the Malays. They are of a dark copper colour, are of
middle size, well-made, and slender. Their hair is fine, black, and
glossy--their beards and moustaches black, and fine as the hair of their
heads. The average height of the men is five feet eight inches. The
women are much smaller--