Mr. and Mrs. Simpson have the care of a school for the children of missionaries and respectable white parents: these are kept entirely separate from the children of the natives; the reason assigned for this exclusiveness is, that the danger of the former receiving improper ideas is such as to preclude their association with the latter. This may be good policy as far as the white children are concerned, although I doubt its having a good effect on their minds if they are destined to spend their lives among the islands. The habit they will thus acquire of looking upon the natives as their inferiors, cannot fail to have an injurious influence on both. The exclusiveness is carried so far, that the children of whites by native women, although they are united in the relation of husband and wife, are not admitted into these schools, because, as they say, they do not wish their children to be contaminated by intercourse with such a mixture of blood. In pursuance of the same policy they have, as it is said, procured the enactment of a law prohibiting marriage between whites and the natives.

This, I must say, appeared to me the worst feature I had seen in the missionary establishment. It is placed here for the avowed purpose of reclaiming the natives from idolatry, and the vices which are its concomitants. In doing this, their most successful efforts have been in the conversion and moral improvement of the young; yet they bring up their own children to look down upon them as being of an inferior order. In becoming acquainted with this feature, I no longer wondered at the character, which I was compelled by a regard for truth to give, of the children of missionary parents in Tahiti.

The missionaries are now aware that their proper plan is to devote their time and attention to the young; and in pursuance of this object, Mr. and Mrs. Howe have lately arrived from England, for the purpose of establishing an infant school.

It is to be regretted that the schools of manual labour have, for what reason I could not learn, been discontinued. Some of the natives who had been instructed in them evinced a knowledge of the trade of the carpenter, and furnished the ships with very good boards sawn by themselves.

The natives of Eimeo have an advantage over those of Tahiti in being free from the influence of evil example; many of them are industrious, and possess a proper feeling of the benefits they have derived from the missionaries, of whom they speak, whenever questioned, as friends.

Three of our crew having become enamoured of these islands, deserted while the Vincennes lay at Eimeo. They left the ship about ten o'clock at night, soon after which their absence was discovered, and parties sent out in every direction to intersect the roads and drive them to the hills. This was effected the following morning, and a large party of natives was employed to hunt them up. This task they speedily performed, and at last drove the deserters to one of the highest ridges, in full view of the ship. Here the runaways appeared at first disposed to make fight with stones; but when they saw the odds against them, and witnessed the alertness of the natives in leaping from cliff to cliff, they thought it best to give themselves up; which they did to three natives, naked except the maro, and armed respectively

Von Schantz's chart of Taloo Harbour.

with a rusty sword, an old cutlass, and a piece of iron hoop. These bound their hands, and led them down to the shore, whence they were brought on board, where the three natives received the reward offered for their apprehension. The chase and capture was an amusing sight to those who watched the proceedings from the ship.

Eimeo has, if possible, a more broken surface than Tahiti, and is more thrown up into separate peaks; its scenery is wild even in comparison with that of Tahiti, and particularly upon the shores, where the mountains rise precipitously from the water, to the height of twenty-five hundred feet. The reef which surrounds the island is similar to that of Tahiti, and as we have seen to be the case there, no soundings are found on the outside of it. Black cellular lava abounds, and holes are found in its shattered ridges, among which is the noted one through which the god Oroo is said to have thrown his spear.

While we remained at Eimeo, I visited Papoa or Cook's Harbour, which lies to the east of that of Taloo. There is a marked resemblance between the two ports, except that the shores of Papoa are not quite as precipitous as those of Taloo, and the entrance of the former not as practicable.

Wood and water may be had at both harbours in abundance, but in other respects the island is not well adapted as a place for the supply of ships. No more than a single ship would probably be able to find refreshments at a time. It is, therefore, seldom visited, and its surplus produce is carried to Tahiti for sale. Notwithstanding, the articles of traffic are quite as dear as at Tahiti.

It has been seen that the alluvial plain at the head of the harbour of Taloo is partly occupied by plantations of sugar. The cane is of superior quality, and the climate well adapted to its production; the plant is indeed indigenous, and it is well known that the variety of it found at Tahiti has been introduced advantageously into the West Indies. At Eimeo the crop is liable to injury from the ground-rat, and their are difficulties attending the management of the crop, which cause the cultivators to speak despondingly. About one hundred tons, however, are made annually.

Coffee, cotton, and all other tropical plants, succeed well at Eimeo, and the quantity of tapa manufactured is greater in proportion than at Tahiti.

I took the opportunity of my anchorage in the harbour of Eimeo, to verify the chart made by Captain Von Schantz, of the Russian ship America, and found it accurate. I have added some soundings, and laid down the topography of the shores, and the outline of the reefs, more minutely than he had attempted.

On leaving Eimeo, I bade adieu to the Tahitian islands; but I cannot close the portion of the narrative which is devoted to them, without again expressing the pleasure I and all my officers derived from our intercourse with the missionaries, and our obligations for the kindness received from them and other residents. Among those to whom we are indebted, I cannot refrain from naming George Pritchard, Esq., H. B. M. Consul, of whose strenuous exertions to advance the welfare of the people, and sustain the government in its efforts to promote their best interests, I became by observation fully aware. It is to be regretted that

ON the 29th of September, 1839, at daylight, having the wind from the northward and eastward, we got under way from Tahiti, and made sail to the westward, passing the Society Island Group, viz. Sir Charles Saunders' Isle, Huaheine, Tahaa, Borabora, Maufili, and Moutoiti. All of these, with the exception of the last, are high lands.

On the 30th, we made Bellinghausen's Island, which is a low coral island, similar to those which have been already described. It was uninhabited, and is of a triangular form, with the usual vegetation, with the exception of cocoa-nut palms. We landed upon it, and made the magnetic experiments.

Birds were in great plenty, and as tame as we had found them at other uninhabited islands we had visited. No lizards or rats were observed, nor was the common fly seen. The lagoon had no passage into it at low water, but the tide flowed into it over the reef.

In the afternoon, we again made sail to the westward, for Rose Island, and on the 6th of October, we passed near the locality of the Royal George Shoal, but saw nothing of it.

On the 7th, which was the day appointed for our rendezvous off Rose Island, we came in sight of it, and at the same time descried the Porpoise. That vessel had passed by Nairsa or Dean's Island, and connected the survey of it with that of Krusenstern's and Lazareff. Both of these were found to have entrances into their lagoons; they are uninhabited, though occasionally visited by the natives of Nairsa Island. The position of Recreation Island was passed over, but no signs of land discovered.

Rose Island, the most eastern of the Samoan Group, was discovered by Freycinet, who gave it its name. It appears, at first, like a round knoll of land, but on a nearer approach, this is found to arise from a large clump of pisonia trees, similar to those found growing in the low archipelago. It is a low annular coral island, of small dimensions, inundated at high water, with the exception of two small banks, one of which is entirely covered by the clump of trees. The other is formed of dead coral, without any vegetation. The tide was found here to rise about four and a half feet, the flood setting to the eastward. The breakers on its

weather or south-east side are heavy; and there is an entrance into the lagoon, having four fathoms depth of water through it. The lagoon has from six to twelve fathoms in it. A remarkable coral formation, like a submerged tree, thirty feet in diameter over its top, was found in the centre of the lagoon, rising to the level of low water, and having all around it a depth of six fathoms. The currents set regularly out and in to the lagoon, according to the state of the tide. In stormy weather the sea must make a complete breach over the reef.

Some boulders of vesicular lava were seen on the coral reef; they were from twenty to two hundred pounds weight, and were found among blocks of coral conglomerate.

Birds were seen flying over the island, and on landing we found them in great numbers and very tame. The frigate-birds and boobies (sula), whose nests had before been observed on low bushes, were here found on the tops of trees fifty feet high. The noddies laid their eggs on the parts of the island destitute of vegetation. Tern were in great numbers; their breeding-place was in a thicket on the weather side of the island, or that which was exposed to the wind and sea, and was remarkable from the regularity with which the eggs were placed, about three feet apart, without any nest, and, with but few exceptions, out of many thousands, each egg lay separately. The colour of the eggs is a dirty white, mottled with brown.

On the 7th, we left Rose Island and stood to the westward, making at sunrise the island of Manua, which is two thousand five hundred feet above the level of the sea. It has the form of a regular dome, rising in most places precipitously from the water to the height of three or four hundred feet, after which its ascent appears more gentle and even. It is sixteen miles in circumference, is well covered with a luxuriant vegetation, and has many cocoa-nut groves on its north-west side.

On approaching it, Oloosinga was in sight, and shortly after Ofoo. These two islands lie to the north-westward, at the distance of about four miles.

The boats were lowered, and sent to trace the shores of the island of Manua, for the purpose of surveying it; whilst the Vincennes and the Porpoise passed on each side.

This island is inhabited. The principal settlement is on the north-west side, and there is anchorage for a small vessel near the shore, where there is a cove to land in, with but little surf during the fine season, or from April to November. It has a shore-reef of coral, and the soundings extend off some distance, eight fathoms being found four hundred yards from the shore.

The canoes of these islanders were the best we had seen. They are built of a log, having upon it pieces fastened together, to raise them sufficiently high. They are thirty or forty feet long, and are partly covered in at both ends. Some of them are capable of containing twenty or twenty-five men, and are very swift. The chief usually sits crosslegged on the forward platform or deck. They have an out-rigger, which is not so far removed from the canoe, and renders them more liable to be upset.

The king or chief of these islands resides at Oloosinga, in consequence of its being more easily defended.

After our party reached the ship, we made sail for Oloosinga, where I went on shore to see the king or chief, who was old and decrepit. His name is Lalelah. His brother, and presumptive successor, was with him, and met me as I landed from the boat. His mode of salutation was by taking my hand and rubbing the back of it against his

nose.

The old man, I was told by the interpreter, could speak a little English, but I could not understand him. This he attributed to his age, and would not admit that it was owing to his ignorance of the language. They led the way to his hut, situated under a mural precipice twelve hundred feet in height.

The island of Oloosinga is a narrow ledge of rocks, rising nearly perpendicular on both sides, and is three miles in length. So precipitous is it at its ends, that it is impossible to pass around it on the rocks. The strip of land is about five hundred yards in width, on which bread-fruits and cocoanuts grow in great profusion and sufficient abundance for all the wants of the natives. They told me that this island had been chosen as a place of safety, since the other became unsettled in consequence of the wars of the Christian and Devil's parties; and that the island of Manua had formerly been the residence of the king, but that he found himself unsafe there, and had taken up his abode at Oloosinga, on its north-western side.

His house was elliptical in form, and thirty feet long, erected on a well-flagged terrace of stone, about four feet above the ground. It was wellshaded with cocoa-nut and bread-fruit trees, and was supported around by ten stout posts, with three others in the centre reaching the top. The roof came down within three and a half feet of the ground, and projected as eaves about eighteen inches or two feet. In the centre the hut was fifteen feet high and well thatched.

The whole floor was ordered to be spread with fine mats, which were carefully unrolled, and laid over the coarser ones on the floor. The king then seated himself in the centre, and desired me to take a seat between himself and brother. Shortly afterwards two large wooden trays were brought in, filled with cooked bread-fruit and covered over with leaves. One of these was placed before me,

The king of Oloosinga.

when the king made a long speech, giving me welcome and offering food to eat. I was then desired to hand some to the king and his brother, and to others who were pointed out to me. This I did, but unfortunately continued my task, and handed it to one of the kanakas, or common people, who were sitting close around us; much displeasure was evinced, accompanied with angry looks. I now looked around for my men, but they were out of sight, on their return to the boat. In order to make the best of my situation, I asked what was meant, and feigned to be quite ignorant of having given any offence. After a minute they were apparently appeased, and pleasant looks were restored.

They handed round a shell containing cocoa-nut oil to dip the bread-fruit in, and another containing salt water. After we had eaten, they began a careful examination of my clothes, and appeared much pleased with the buttons. My pocket-handkerchief was taken out of my pocket, and spread on the mat to be examined by the king. His brother took off my hat and put it on the top of his large bushy head. They then had ava made, of which I could not partake, after seeing the process of making it. It is first chewed by the women and thrown into a large bowl; water is added to it, and it is then strained through leaves. This was partaken of by them all, while they gave me a fresh

cocoa-nut.

They were becoming more familiar every moment, and it was getting late, so I thought it time to make a move. I therefore rose up, and was followed by the natives, in number upwards of a hundred, including the king and his brother, to the boat. I looked carefully around for arms, but saw none among them. My boat was aground: the king, his brother, and several others got into it, saying they must have some presents. They seemed disposed to resist, and showed a determination to contest our getting off. I on the other hand was determined to get rid of them, and peaceably if I could; I therefore ordered the boat's crew to arm themselves, and drive every one of the natives from the boat, at the same time intimating to the king to use his authority, which I found, however, existed only in name. We thus succeeded in getting clear of the crowd, until we had no more than eight left; to each of these I presented a small fish-hook, and ordered them to get into the water, which was about a foot deep, and go; this they did, one by one. At last came the king and his brother's turn, to whom I presented, with great ceremony, first a small and then a large fish-hook; after which they left me, apparently in great good humour. I was heartily glad to be rid of such rapacious troublesome fellows so easily and without a fight. We then pushed our boat off. When just beyond the reef, in taking up our anchor, the boat had the appearance of returning again on shore. On seeing this, a great shout was set up by the natives, and one of them immediately advanced with my powder-flask. He said it had been taken by a boy out of the boat, and had been dropped into the water, to be picked up after we had shoved off. I gave the man a small present for his apparent honesty; but I am inclined to believe it was the fear of detection, and the belief that we had missed the article, and were returning for it, that induced them to give it up so willingly. It was some time

before he could be made to understand what the reward was for, but when he found it was for his honesty, he laughed heartily.

This having excited our suspicions, the boat's crew informed me that a canoe that was paddling off had been alongside of the gig, and that they felt satisfied that the natives had taken something from us. It being in our course towards the ship, we gave chase, and being favoured by the wind, soon overtook the canoe, to the great fright of the two natives, who were paddling with all their might, and whose eyes were full of tears when overtaken. They had nothing at all in their canoe, and after examination it proved we had lost nothing. To console them for this alarm, I gave them a few trifles, and they became easy and cheerful.

The coral reef around this island was different from any I had hitherto seen. It consisted of two regular shelves, the outer one from fifty to sixty feet wide, and the inner in places measuring one hundred and forty feet. A distinct mark of high water was measured along the beach, and found to be twenty feet above the ordinary sea-tide, which has from four to five feet rise.

Ofoo lies to the westward of Oloosinga. There is a passage for boats of about a fourth of a mile in width between them, and anchorage on the western side. Ofoo resembles Oloosinga; and, from the accounts we received, it has but few inhabitants those of Oloosinga having made war upon them, and killed the "natives" off. There is a small and comparatively low islet off its western end, near which there is an anchorage. After sunset we bore away for Tutuila, which can be seen in fine weather from these islands.

The temperature in the passage from Tahiti to the Samoan Islands had increased from 77.6° to 81.11 in the air; and that of the water from 79.6° to 81.6°.

As it was my intention to make a thorough examination of this group, I resolved, in order to accomplish it in the least possible time, to divide the squadron, so as to put all the remaining islands under examination at the same time. The island of Tutuila being the most central, and, from the information I had obtained, the best position for my astronomical observations, I selected it for the Vincennes. That of Upolu was reserved for the Peacock and Flying-Fish when they should arrive; and in case of their being detained longer than I had anticipated, I should be ready to take up the survey of the latter, or assist in completing it. The Porpoise was ordered to examine the island of Savaii; and one of the naturalists, Dr. Pickering, was directed to join her, for the purpose of exploring the interior of the island during her operations in its vicinity.

On the 10th of October we had light winds, in consequence of which we did not reach Tutuila that day. At daylight on the 11th we were near its eastern end, and off the island of Anuu.

About eight miles to windward of the harbour of Pago-pago, we were boarded by several canoes, in which were some natives, with a white man, by name William Gray, whom I retained as interpreter during our stay here, and found of much use.

The island of Tutuila is high, broken, and of volcanic appearance. It is seventeen miles long, and its greatest width is five miles. The harbour

of Pago-pago penetrates into the centre, and almost divides the island into two parts. It is less varied in surface than the Society Islands; and its highest peak, that of Matafoa, was found to be 2327 feet above the sea. The spurs and ridges that form the high land are like those of Tahiti: precipitous, sharp-edged, and frequently rise in mural walls from the water to a height of three or four hundred feet, showing the bare basaltic rock. Above this height, the surface is covered with a luxuriant vegetation to the very top of the mountains; the cocoa-nut tree and tree-fern give the principal character to this beautiful scenery. Dead coral is seen along the shores, above highwater mark.

Its

The harbour of Pago-pago is one of the most singular in all the Polynesian isles. It is the last point at which one would look for a place of shelter the coast near it is peculiarly rugged, and has no appearance of indentations, and the entrance being narrow, is not easily observed. shape has been compared to a variety of articles : that which it most nearly resembles is a retort. It is surrounded on all sides by inaccessible mural precipices, from eight hundred to one thousand feet in height. The lower parts of these rocks are bare, but they are clothed above with luxuriant vegetation. So impassable did the rocky barrier appear in all but two places, that the harbour was likened to the valley of Rasselas changed into a lake. The two breaks in the precipice are at the head of the harbour and at the Pilot's Cove. The harbour is of easy access, and its entrance, which is about a third of a mile in width, is well marked by the Tower Rock and Devil's Point.

As we arrived off the harbour the wind grew light, and finally came out ahead, thus compelling us to beat in to our anchorage, under the direction of Edmund Foxall, a white pilot. He usually comes off to vessels when within two or three miles of the harbour, on a signal being made. We made many tacks before we reached our anchorage, which was in deep water, twenty-nine fathoms. About half a mile from the entrance of the harbour, it bends at right angles. In this position, surrounded by cliffs, the firing of a gun produces a remarkable reverberation, resembling loud peals of thunder.

We were surrounded, as soon as we entered, by a large number of canoes, filled with natives, who all seemed delighted with the ship and the number of men on board. When we had moored, one of the principal chiefs, whose name was Toa, was admitted on board; he was an athletic, muscular man, of large frame, about forty years of age, with a pleasant expression of countenance; he manifested great pleasure in welcoming us. He began by telling me, through the interpreter, that he was a missionary; that he had formerly been a great thief, and a doer of many bad acts, but being now a missionary, he was reformed and stole no more. He told this with such an open expression of countenance and so much simplicity, that I could scarcely forbear smiling. After I had finished asking him questions, he continued eyeing me from head to foot, as if determining my dimensions. I told the interpreter to ask him why he looked at me so intently. He replied, that he had a coat on shore that was too tight for him about the arms and chest, and he believed it would fit me if

90

So,

This

he should be glad to exchange it for the jacket I had on. Not being inclined to this exchange, I ordered a small hatchet to be given him. gratified him much, and he instantly went over the ship's side to show it to his friends. This same Toa is chief of the village of Fungasar, about three miles distant from the harbour, on the north side of the island. He learns to read and write, being taught by some of the small children, and attends school regularly. He became of great use to us, and was a constant visitor. During one of his visits on board, he espied some red umbrellas among the presents, and from that time was continually endeavouring to obtain one for his wife, and brought many articles in the hope of inducing us to part with it in exchange for them.

The geological character of this island is similar to that of Manua; it has only a shore-reef of coral, and soundings extend some distance from it. It has many desirable ports or bays on its north side, where vessels may obtain wood, water, and supplies. The best and safest port, however, is that of Pago-pago, on its south side, which affords a safe harbour for vessels to overhaul, and where supplies may be obtained in abundance.

Tutuila is thickly settled round its shores, and particularly at its south-western end: this is lower and more easily cultivated than the eastern, which is high and rugged. The only communication is by the sea-shore, the hills being too precipitous and difficult of ascent to pass over.

The men of Tutuila are a remarkably tall, finelooking set, with intelligent and pleasing countenances. In comparison with the Tahitians, they would be called sedate.

The women are far from being good-looking, with the exception of some of the younger ones. They are remarkably domestic and virtuous, exhibiting a strange contrast to those of Tahiti. Here there is no indiscriminate intercourse, the marriage-tie is respected, and parents are extremely fond of their offspring. The inhabitants are disposed to be hospitable to strangers, although they expect remuneration for it. Travelling is generally believed to be safe throughout the island of Tutuila; and the natives, as far as our experience goes, are not the blood-thirsty race they have been reported to be. The unfavourable estimate of their character has, I presume, been derived from those who first knew them, and particularly from their attack upon the expedition of La Perouse. Of this conflict I obtained the following particulars from the Rev. Mr. Murray, who had them from an old man, who was a witness of the affray. The latter is the only individual now alive in the settlement who was present when it occurred, and his testimony was corroborated by others who had heard of it from those who witnessed the scene.

On the morning of the massacre, the vessels stood in towards the land. About noon the boats went ashore, as recorded by La Perouse, and while on shore, a number of canoes, belonging to the island of Upolu (to which Tutuila was at the time subject), went from the shore, and proceeded directly to the vessels. When these canoes were alongside, a young man in one of them laid his hand on an iron bolt in some part of the ship, with the intention, it is supposed, of stealing it. He was fired upon by the French. The ball

Visit to Toa, the native chief.

passed through his shoulders, and mortally wounded him. The natives, on seeing the effect of the shot on one of their number, were greatly enraged, and immediately left the vessels, and hastened to the shore, where they found the boats that had gone to get water. On reaching them, they began the attack, which resulted in the massacre of M. De Langle, and of those who were with him on the shore. When the natives began this attack, the great body of the French were absent from their boats; some were in the bushes gathering plants, and others talking to the females. On the commencement of the disturbance, they all rushed towards their boats, and the confusion became general. The minute circumstances of the affray, further than the above, cannot now be ascertained from the natives. They are, however, very clear in reference to the cause, and to those who were the actors in it, viz. the natives of Upolu. The Tutuilians maintain that they endeavoured to save the lives of the French; and on the following day, as soon as they dared to venture from the mountains, whither they had fled during the massacre, they collected the bodies, which they found in a state of nudity, dressed them in native cloth, and buried them in the beach, as they were accustomed to bury their own chiefs. The actors in the massacre proceeded at once to Upolu, which will account for their having been afterwards seen there, and recognized by the French. Our inquiries relative to the spot where they had buried the bodies were not satisfactorily answered. How the carpenter's son escaped is not known. He is said to be still living at a village on the eastern part of the island. There appears to be mention made of a boy among the missing, in La Perouse's account. Levasii, a chief of the district of Faleletai, was at the massacre of the party of La Perouse. He was then a boy of thirteen years of age. He remembered the occurrence, and that three of the Papalangi were killed.

The perpetrators of the deed were some young chiefs from the district, who were on a "malanga’ to Tutuila. At that time Aana district had the rule, or was the " Malo" party, and domineered over the inhabitants of the other islands and districts.

On the 17th, our friend Toa gave us an invitation to visit him at his town of Fungasar, on the north side of the island. It is situated on the next bay to that now called Massacre Bay, where De Langle was killed. The path across the island is a very difficult one to travel; it leads up through the valley, and across the dividing ridge, which is quite precipitous. The rain which had fallen made it very slippery, and the journey was fatiguing to those not accustomed to this kind of walking.

I was much struck here with the manliness and intelligence of the natives, and with their frank open expression of countenance. The colour of their complexion is rather darker than that of the natives of Tahiti. The outlines of face and figure are very like those we had left, their hair and eyes black, and their teeth good and white. Some of them had frizzled hair, but it was generally straight.

Just before arriving at the village, we were met by Toa, and some of his relations and attendants, who welcomed us to his village, saluting me by rubbing his nose with my hand; this is the usual

custom.