e shallow stream, which was so clear that every pebble in its
gravelly bed was visible, and found ourselves at the foot of a long,
green slope. Before us, lying partly in the valley, and straggling
half-way up the ascent, was a pretty village. The neat and light-built
native dwellings dotted the side of the slope, or peeped out from among
embowering trees along the banks of the brook, in the most picturesque
manner. The thatching of the cottages, bleached to an almost
snowy-whiteness, offered a pleasing contrast to the surrounding verdure.
Troops of children were pursuing their sports in every direction. Some
were wading in the stream, sailing tiny boats, or actively spattering
one another with water, a recreation which they could enjoy without any
fear of that damage to clothing, which would have rendered it
objectionable in more highly civilised communities. Others again, (many
of them scarcely old enough to walk, as one would suppose), were
swimming about in the deeper places, like amphibious creatures. Some
were swinging on ropes of sennit, suspended from the branches of the
trees, and a few were quietly sitting in the shade, making bouquets and
wreaths of wild-flowers. Among them all, there was not a single
deformed or sickly-looking child. I did not observe any grown persons,
most of them probably being at that hour asleep in their houses. In
passing through the village, our escort closed around us in such a
manner as to screen us from observation, and we reached the top of the
slope without seeming to have attracted notice. Here Mowno dismissed
all his attendants except two, and we then struck into a fine avenue of
well-grown trees, running along the crest of the hill, and leading to a
large native house, of oval form, prettily situated upon a green knoll,
and over-shadowed by wide-branching bread-fruit trees. This, Mowno
informed us, was his dwelling. At a short distance from the house,
beneath a fan-palm, was a group of young girls, so entirely absorbed in
the congenial task of arranging one another's abundant tresses, and
adorning themselves with flowers, that they did not observe our
approach. Mowno seemed intent upon some playful surprise, and laughing
softly to himself like a pleased child, he motioned us to hide ourselves
in a thicket of young casuarinas. From our ambush he pointed out to us
one of the group beneath the palm, having several white buds of the
fragrant gardenia in her hair, and a