The men, who were heathens, were quite naked, but the
women wore small aprons of seaweed. They didn't tattoo themselves, but
many of them had their skins rough and hanging in flakes, which gave
them a most repulsive appearance. This was in consequence of their
spending much of their time in the water.

They were savage not only in their appearance but in their customs, for
we heard that to prevent overcrowding, as they cannot provide sufficient
food for a large population, they kill their infant children.

Such were the people of all these islands, however handsome in
appearance, before the missionaries went among them. Many of them had
terrible wounds, produced in their battles with each other, either by
their spears or clubs, which are covered with sharks' teeth.

We didn't see the land till we were within about ten miles of it, as it
is very low, being of coral formation. Its only vegetable production is
the cocoanut tree, which is of the greatest value to the natives. They
build their huts of the trunks and roof them with the leaves. Their
canoes are composed of numerous pieces of the wood sewn together with
cocoanut fibre. The form of these canoes, which are from eighteen to
twenty feet long, is curious; the shape is that of a whale-boat cut in
two lengthways; one side is round, and the other perfectly flat, and
they are kept upright by having an outrigger to windward which extends
about ten feet from the hull. The sail is triangular and made of
matting, and in fine weather they can beat to windward with the fastest
ship.

We here spent several months, occasionally touching at Byron's Island
for fresh cocoanuts and water. We had caught nineteen whales, when
towards the evening of one day a twentieth was seen at a considerable
distance.

"We must have that fellow," said the captain.

The boats were lowered; he went in one, Mr Griffiths in another, and
Mr Harvey, the second mate, in a third. Another whale appeared much
nearer, but in a somewhat different direction. While Mr Griffiths
pulled for the first, the captain and the second mate made for the
second. Both were to windward. We had a light breeze, and at once
began to beat up after them.

Just before sundown we found that the captain and the second mate had
made fast. It took some time before the whale was killed, and we could
scarcely perceive the whift planted on its back before darkness came on.
We had, in the meantime, lost sight of Mr