and not of bamboo or stone, as stated by Captain Folger; indeed they have not a piece of bamboo on the island; nor have they any mats.

The floor is a fixture,

but the side-boards are let into a groove in the supporters, and can be removed at pleasure, according to the state of the weather, and the whole side may, if required, be laid open. The lower room communicates with the upper by a stout ladder in the centre, and leads up through a trapdoor into the bedroom."

And again,

"During the period we remained upon the island, we were entertained at the board of the natives, sometimes dining with one person, and sometimes with another their meals, as I have before stated, were not confined to hours, and always consisted of baked pig, yams, and taro, and more rarely of sweet potatoes.

Ba

"The productions of the island being very limited, and intercourse with the rest of the world much restricted, it may be readily supposed their meals cannot be greatly varied. However, they do their best with what they have, and cook it in different ways, the pig excepted, which is always baked. There are several goats upon the island, but they dislike their flesh, as well as their milk. Yams constitute their principal food; these are broiled, baked, or made into pillihey (cakes), by being mixed with cocoa-nuts, or bruised and formed into a soup. nanas are mashed and made into pancakes, or, like the yam, united with the milk of the cocoa-nut, into pillihey, and eaten with molasses, extracted from the tee-root, The taro-root, by being rubbed, makes a very good substitute for bread, as well as the bananas, plantains, and appai. Their common beverage is pure water, but they made for us a tea, extracted from the teeplant, flavoured with ginger, and sweetened with the juice of the sugar-cane, When alone, this beverage and fowl soup are used only for such as are ill. They seldom kill a pig, but live mostly upon fruit and vegetables. The duty of saying grace was performed by John Buffet, a recent settler among them, and their clergyman; but if he was not present, it fell upon the eldest of the company, They have all a great dislike to spirits, in consequence of M'Coy having killed himself by too free an indulgence in them; but wine in moderation is never refused. With this simple diet, and being in the daily habit of rising early, and taking a great deal of exercise in the cultivation of their grounds, it was not surprising that we found them so athletic and free from complaints. When illness does occur, their

remedies are as simple as their manner of living, and are limited to salt water, hot ginger tea, or abstinence, according to the nature of the complaint. They have no medicines, nor do they appear to require any, as these remedies have hitherto been found sufficient.

"After their noontide meal, if their grounds do not require their attention, and the weather be fine, they go a little way out to sea in their canoes, and catch fish, of which they have several kinds, large, and sometimes in abundance; but it seldom happens that they have this time to spare; for the cultivation of the ground, repairing their boats, houses, and making fishing lines, with other employments, generally occupy the whole of each day. At sunset they assemble at prayers as before, first offering their orison and thanksgiving, and then chanting meal, and at an early hour, having again hymns. After this follows their evening said their prayers, and chanted the evening hymn, they retire to rest; but before they sleep, each person again offers up a short prayer upon his bed.

"Such is the distribution of time

among the grown people; the younger part attend at school at regular hours, and are instructed in reading, writing, and arithmetic. They have very fortuin John Buffet, who belonged to a ship nately found an able and willing master

which visited the island, and was so infatuated with their behaviour, being himself naturally of a devout and serious turn of mind, that he resolved to remain among them; and, in addition to the instruction of the children, has taken upon himself the duty of clergyman, and is the oracle of the community. During the whole time I was with them, I never

heard them indulge in a joke, or other levity, and the practice of it is apt to give offence: they are so accustomed to take what is said in its literal meaning, that irony was always considered a falsehood, in spite of explanation. They could not see the propriety of uttering what was not strictly true, for any purpose whatever."

Some just and kindly observations of Captain Beechey's, and the pleasing information of his Majesty's government having taken measures for the welfare and benefit of this little colony, may well be added.

"We soon found, through our intercourse with these excellent people, that they had no wants excepting such as had been created by an intercourse with vessels. Nature has been extremely bountiful to them; and necessity has

taught them how to apply her gifts to their own particular uses. Still they have before them the prospect of an increasing population, with limited means of supporting it. Almost every part of the island capable of cultivation, has been turned to account; but what would have been the consequences of this increase, had not an accident discovered their situation, it is not difficult to foresee; and a reflecting mind will naturally trace in that disclosure the benign interference of the same hand which has raised such a virtuous colony

from so guilty a stock. Adams, having

contemplated the situation which the islanders would have been reduced to, begged, at our first interview, that I would communicate with the government upon the subject, which was done; and I am happy to say that, through the interference of the Admiralty and Colonial office, means have been taken for removing them to any place they may choose for themselves; and a liberal supply of useful articles has recently been sent to them."

A very interesting sketch of Adams, whose patriarchal look harmonizes well with his patriarchal name, and his patriarchal character, accompanies Captain Beechey's book, and renders it altogether the most complete and amusing account which has ever been given of a spot, where the past, and present, and future, are all linked together by a chain of the most singular interest. After leaving Pitcairn Island, and steering through an archipelago, which in every day's sail offered something new and curious, the Blossom made an unknown island, where, to the surprise of all, a colony of Christians from Otaheite was discovered. In many respects, a degree of mystery seemed to hang over these people, but the very fact of their having found their way thi ther in an open canoe, when it is considered that their native country lay at six hundred miles distance in the direction of the trade-wind, is in itself a matter of no slight importance to science. The question of how these scattered dwelling-places first received their inhabitants, has been one that has excited many an ingenious investigation, and sometimes shaken faith in the historical truths of the Mosaic account. The positive certainty, however, though the known instance be singular, of a large body of men and women having

been driven six hundred miles from their native country, against the prevailing wind, is sufficient to render the explanation easy, and to sweep away a thousand vain hypotheses.

The reasoning of Captain Beechey is simple and conclusive. The similarity of language, customs, and traditions, between the islanders of the Pacific and the Malays, the people of Sumatra, Borneo, and others of the same general class, is clearly established. The navigation between the different islands of the Pacific in canoes is well known, as well as the custom of warriors, after a defeat, trusting themselves to the mercy of the waves, rather than yielding to the cruelty of their conquerors. The only strong objection to the belief that these islands were originally peopled from Asia, and that the inhabitants were spread gradually from one insulated spot to another, has ever been the distance between the different points, which was contended to be impracticable in canoes, especially when the trade-wind and the general current were against the attempt. But Captain Beechey demonstrates, that the interruption of the tradewinds by the monsoon, and the effect of those sudden and violent gales, in driving any wandering canoe far out of its course amongst the thronged groups of the Pacific, must in many instances bring about the peopling of far distant islands, which before were destitute of inhabitants while the clear fact of six hundred miles having thus been past in an opposite direction to the trade-wind, gives the lie to the impossibility, and leaves the solution of the problem perfectly admissible, if not irrefragably proved. Whatever has been done, may be done again, and we may suppose, in the absence of proof to the contrary, that it has been done often. Nor is it an absolute conclusion, that the precise distance of six hundred miles, which this canoe reached, must have been the extreme limit of such adventures. But the story of Tuwarri and his companions, is the best elucidation which can be given of the manner in which the seeds of future nations have been carried from island to island; and in which, while the industrious little insects of the coral are grain by grain raising up new lands and continents out of the broad

bosom of that distant sea, nature-or rather nature's God-is leading, by the path of accident, new denizens to inhabit and enjoy the new-born countries.

"Two days afterwards, we discovered a small island in lat. 19° 40' S. and long. 140° 29′ W., which, as it was not before known, I named Byam Martin Island, in compliment to Sir Thomas Byam Martin, G. C. B., the comptroller of the navy. As we neared the shore, the natives made several fires. Shortly afterwards, three of them launched a canoe, and paddled fearlessly to the barge, which brought them to the ship. Instead of the deep-coloured uncivilized Indians inhabiting the Coral Islands in general, a tall, well-made person, comparatively fair, and handsomely tatooed, ascended the side, and, to our surprise, familiarly accosted us in the Otaheitan manner. The second had a hog and a cock tatooed upon his breast-animals almost unknown among the islands of Eastern Polynesia; and the third wore a turban of blue nankeen. Either of these were distinctions sufficient to excite considerable interest, as they convinced us they were not natives of the island before us, but had either been left there, or had drifted away from some other island; the latter supposition was the most probable, as they described themselves to have undergone great privation and suffering, by which many of their companions had lost their lives, and their canoe to have been wrecked upon the island; and that they and their friends on shore were anxious to embark in the ship, and return to Otaheite. A little suspicion was at first attached to this account, as it seemed impossible for a canoe to reach their present asylum without purposely paddling towards it; as Byam Martin Island, unlike Wateo, upon which Omai found his countrymen, is situated six hundred miles from Otaheite, in the direction of the tradewinds. We could not doubt, however, that they were natives of that place, as they mentioned the names of the missionaries residing there, and proved that they could both read and write. To their solicitations to return in the ship to Otaheite, as their number on shore amounted to forty persons, I could not yield; and I pointed out to them the impossibility of doing so. But that we might learn the real history of their adventures, I offered a passage to the man who first ascended the side, as he appeared the most intelligent of the party. The poor fellow was at first quite delighted, but suddenly became grave, and enquired if his wife and

children might accompany him, as he could on no account consent to a separation. Our compliance with this request appeared to render him completely happy; but, still fearful of disappointment, before quitting the ship he sent to ask if I was in earnest. "The next morning, on landing, we found him, his wife, and family, with their goods and chattels, ready to embark; and all the islanders assembled to take leave of them. But as we wished to examine the island first, we postponed the ceremony until the evening. The little colony gave us a very friendly reception, and conducted us to their village, which consisted of a few low huts, similar to those at Barrow Island; but they had no fruit to offer us excepting pandanus-nuts, which they disliked almost as much as ourselves, and told us they had been accustomed to better fare."

After an account of the island, and some remarks upon its inhabitants, who were all Christians from the Society group, Captain Beechey proceeds to describe the parting of Tuwarri and his companions, and then details the farther particulars of his voyage. After visiting Gloucester Island, the Blossom proceeded onward to Bow Island, and a boat was dispatched to ascertain whether it was possible for the ship itself to enter the lagoon. In this boat, Tuwarri was sent on shore for the purpose of communicating with the natives, should any be found; and inhabitants were soon observed upon the beach. Tuwarri's horror of cannibals was great, and his courage small, so that the appearance of the men on the shore, together with the loading of the muskets in the boat (in case of necessity), gave him no very pleasant sensations. His fears, however, were speedily removed, when the first man he met upon the beach was his own brother. The meeting was singular and affecting, and as it happened that a brig, which had brought Tuwarri's brother thither as a diver, and belonged to the English Pearl Company, was then at the island, with an interpreter on board, the story of the wanderers they had found at Byam Island, was soon made clear to Captain Beechey and his

crew.

"Tuwarri was a native of one of the low coral formations discovered by Captain Cook in his first voyage, called Anaa by the natives, but by him named Chain

Island, situated about 300 miles to the eastward of Otaheite, to which it is tributary. About the period of the commencement of his misfortunes, old Pomarree, the King of Otaheite, died, and was succeeded by his son, then a child. On the accession of this boy, several chiefs and commoners of Chain Island, among whom was Tuwarri, planned a voyage to Otaheite, to pay a visit of ceremony and of homage to their new sovereign. The only conveyance these people could command was double canoes, three of which, of the largest class, were prepared for the occasion.

"To us, accustomed to navigate the seas in ships of many tons burden, provided with a compass and the necessary instruments to determine our position, a canoe, with only the stars for her guidance, and destined to a place whose situation could be at the best but approximately known, appears so uncertain and frail a conveyance, that we may wonder how any persons could be found sufficiently resolute to hazard the undertaking. They knew, however, that similar voyages had been successfully performed, not only to mountainous islands to leeward, but to some that were scarcely six feet above the water, and were situated in the opposite direction; and as no ill omens attended the present undertaking, no unusual fears were entertained.

The ca

noes being accordingly prepared, and duly furnished with all that was considered necessary, the persons intending to proceed on this expedition were embarked, amounting in all to 150 souls. What was the arrangement of the other two canoes is unknown to us; but in Tuwarri's there were 23 men, 15 women, and 10 children, and a supply of water and provisions calculated to last three weeks. On the day of departure, all the natives assembled on the beach to take leave of our adventurers. The canoes were placed with scrupulous exactness in the supposed direction, which was indicated by certain marks upon the land, and then launched into the sea amidst the good wishes and adieus of their countrymen. With a fair wind and full sail they glided rapidly over the space, without a thought of the possibility of the miseries to which they were afterwards exposed.

"It happened, unfortunately, that the monsoon that year began earlier than was expected, and blew with great violence; two days were, notwithstanding, passed under favourable circumstances, and the adventurers began to look for the high land of Maitea, an island between Chain Island and Otaheite, and to anticipate

the pleasures which the successful termination of their voyage would afford them, when their progress was delayed by a calm, the precursor of a storm which rose suddenly from an unfavourable quarter, dispersed the canoes, and drove them away before it. In this manner they drifted for several days; but, on the return of fine weather, having a fortnight's provisions remaining, they again resolutely sought their destination; but a second gale drove them still farther back than the first, and lasted so long, that they became exhausted. Thus many days were passed; their distance from home hourly increasing; the sea continually washing over the canoes, to the great discomfiture of the women and children; and their store of provision dwindled to the last extremity. A long calm, and what was to them even worse, hot, dry weather succeeded the tempest, and drove them to a state of despair. From the description, we may imagine their canoe alone, and becalmed on the ocean; the crew, perishing with thirst beneath the fierce glare of a tropical sun, hanging exhausted over their paddles; children looking to their parents for support, and mothers deploring their inability to afford them assistEvery means of quenching their thirst were resorted to; some drank the sea water, and others bathed in it, or poured it over their heads; but the absence of fresh water in the torrid zone cannot be compensated by such substitutes. Day after day those who were able extended their gourds to Heaven, in supplication for rain, and repeated their prayers, but in vain; the fleecy cloud, floating high in the air, indicated only an extension of their suffering; distress, in its most aggravated form, had at length reached its height, and seventeen persons fell victims to its horrors.

ance.

it

"The situation of those who remained may readily be imagined, though their fate would never have been known to us, had not Providence, at this critical moment, wrought a change in their favour. The sky, which for some time had been perfectly serene, assumed an aspect which, at any other period, would have filled our sufferers with apprehension; but, on the present occasion, the tropical storm, approached, was hailed with thankfulness, and welcomed as their deliverer. All who were able came upon deck with blankets, gourds, and cocoa-nut shells, and extended them towards the black cloud, as it approached, pouring down torrents of rain, of which every drop was of incalculable value to the sufferers; they drank copiously and thankfully, and filled every vessel with the precious element,