did. He seemed desirous of obtaining the murderers, and together with the chief Gingi, advised that the town to which they belonged should be burnt, although all the other inhabitants were innocent. This Captain Hudson refused to do, as he did not wish to punish the innocent for the guilty.

Gingi himself was suspected of having had a hand in the murder of Cunningham. Although not of the royal blood, he has much influence in Muthuata, and is, in all respects, a disreputable character. He has four houses, which are the best in the town, and are occupied by as many wives. He possesses a considerable quantity of other property, which he has accumulated from his earnings in the biche de mar fishery. He does not hesitate to boast of his savage actions, and to reckon up a dozen men whom he has killed with his own musket. When I come to speak of the Asaua cluster of islands, some of his wholesale massacres will be recorded. In these encounters he has not escaped unscathed, for he received on one occasion a musketball, which entered beneath his shoulder-blade and came out beneath the nipple of his breast. Gingi is remarkable for the energy of his character, and his savage disposition when offended.

While the Peacock lay at Muthuata, the naturalists employed themselves in excursions to the mountains. The bright tin boxes carried by the botanists attracted much attention, and excited no little alarm, for a report had got abroad, that these boxes contained our "fiery spirits." In consequence of this idea, when one of these gentlemen, after his return from an excursion, opened his box for the purpose of looking at the plants he had gathered, there was a general outcry and flight among the younger natives. They frequently met native women in their walks, who seemed very much amused with the Papalangis, and laughed immoderately at the shaking of hands, which some were bold enough to venture upon. Those they met would, if alone and carrying any thing, throw down their load and run like the wind to

escape.

On their mountain excursions, they were accompanied by a Rotuma man who spoke English. On their way up, as they were about to enter a hamlet, he advised them to load and prepare their fire-arms, saying that the people of the mountain did not like those of the coast, and that to visit them was dangerous. It did not prove so, however, on this occasion; yet the advice clearly shows that a state of hostility exists between those who live in the mountains and those on the coast. The former are probably those who have escaped punishment for crimes, or from the cruelty of the chiefs on the coast, and who fled to the mountains for safety.

The excursion to the top of the peak proved very interesting to our botanists, whose collections were increased by many specimens, among which was a young Kaurie pine. The point which was measured, was two thousand feet high; another point, which was inaccessible, was about three hundred and fifty feet higher, making the highest point two thousand three hundred and fifty feet.

The party witnessed some natives who were employed in taking fish, near the mouth of a small stream, by poisoning the water with the stems and leaves of a climbing Glycine, which grows abundantly near the coast.

They had ample evidence of the hostility existing among these natives, in the fear exhibited by their guides when occasionally approaching huts on their rambles, and they said that they would not have dared to venture among the mountaineers except in company with the Papalangis.

In these rambles they occasionally visited the high peaks, and whenever they had a view of the interior, a number of high, volcanic, and many of them sharp-pointed peaks, presented themselves to the eye.

On the 28th, Passed Midshipman Harrison arrived in the schooner Kai-viti, with the supply of yams, and my orders to the Peacock to join me at Mbua Bay on the 4th of July.

The next day was employed in getting ready to sail. Captain Hudson had employed his carpenters in getting out the frame of a new launch of the iron-wood (Casuarina); but subsequently, at the Sandwich Islands, we found that it was ill-adapted for that purpose, and it was consequently rejected.

The king again sent off word that his messengers had returned a second time, without any further tidings of the murderers than those they had first brought.

This day, Joseph Baxter, the second mate of the Leonidas, who had been badly burnt when firing a cannon on board the Leonidas, was brought on board the Peacock. The accident was caused by the ignition of a cartridge which he had carelessly put into his bosom. Every possible attention was paid to him.

The natives of the town of Muthuata appeared to be busily engaged in making preparations for the great feast. Hogs, yams, taro, and turtles, were continually brought into town, and it was said that the King of Muthuata had collected a hundred hogs and ten thousand yams. In anticipation of the coming feast, all articles were tabooed, and none could be purchased.

The women, both old and young, were daily practising their dancing and music, and preparing turbans and masi for the chiefs, while

all were engaged in dressing their hair with ashes and a white clay, cach striving to vie with and outdo his neighbour.

On the 2d of July the Peacock sailed from Muthuata, and the king seemed very happy at the departure of the ship. In the evening they anchored in Naloa Bay, off the village of Fokasinga. A fleet of canoes came off to the ship the next morning, from which they learned that the war had again begun in earnest, and that Tui Mbua's party had killed three of the people of the opposite party, in revenge for the death of the one who had been killed during the former visit of the Peacock. One human body had already been brought over and just feasted upon. Shortly afterwards a canoe came alongside, bringing the skull yet warm from the fire, much scorched, and marked with the teeth of those who had eaten of it. The brain had been roasted and taken out, as well as the eyes and teeth. Another canoe came alongside with some roasted flesh in it.

While Mr. Spieden and others were agreeing with the natives for the purchase of the skull for a fathom of cloth, a native stood near him holding something in his right hand, which he soon applied to his mouth, and began to eat. To their utter astonishment they discovered it to be the eye of the dead man, which the native had plucked from the skull a few moments before. So revolting and unexpected a sight produced a feeling of sickness in many; this ocular proof of their cannibal propensities fully satisfied them. The native was eating it, and exclaiming at the same time, "Vinaka, vinaka," (good, good.) Another was seen eating the last of the flesh from the thigh-bone. This was witnessed by several of the officers and men, who all testify to the same facts.

Previous to this occurrence, no one in the squadron could say that he had been an eye-witness to cannibalism, though few doubted its practice, but the above transaction placed it beyond all doubt, and we have now the very skull which was bought from those who were picking and eating it, among our collections.

Tui Mbua came alongside with his family, and asked permission to remain all night, which was granted him. Mr. Agate succeeded in getting a good likeness of him.

Lieutenant Budd, and the boats under his charge, came alongside in the evening, and left the ship again the next morning to complete the survey and bring it down to Mbua Bay.

The next day being the 4th of July, they beat through Monkey-Face Passage, and on reaching Ruke-ruke Bay, Captain Hudson anchored, after which the crew kept the 4th of July by feasting on a turtle, and enjoyed themselves with their double allowance of grog.

On the 5th, the Peacock anchored in Mbua Bay, about an hour before the Vincennes reached it, all well and in good spirits. The naturalists were now ordered to return on board the Vincennes, and the prisoner Vendovi was also transferred to her, and remained on board of her until the expiration of the cruise.