, probably one of the slim-legged hogs which
we had observed in our approach to the village. Seeing us at a loss how
to proceed, he began, by way of setting us an example, to devour yard
after yard of the enticing food, until we could positively stand it no
longer, and evinced such manifest symptoms of rebellion of stomach as
inspired his majesty with a degree of astonishment only inferior to that
brought about by the looking-glasses. We declined, however, partaking of
the delicacies before us, and endeavoured to make him understand that we
had no appetite whatever, having just finished a hearty dejeuner.

When the monarch had made an end of his meal, we commenced a series of
cross-questioning in every ingenious manner we could devise, with a
view of discovering what were the chief productions of the country, and
whether any of them might be turned to profit. At length he seemed to
have some idea of our meaning, and offered to accompany us to a part of
coast where he assured us the biche de mer (pointing to a specimen of
that animal) was to be found in great abundance. We were glad of this
early opportunity of escaping from the oppression of the crowd,
and signified our eagerness to proceed. We now left the tent, and,
accompanied by the whole population of the village, followed the chief
to the southeastern extremity of the island, nor far from the bay where
our vessel lay at anchor. We waited here for about an hour, until the
four canoes were brought around by some of the savages to our station.
The whole of our party then getting into one of them, we were paddled
along the edge of the reef before mentioned, and of another still
farther out, where we saw a far greater quantity of biche de mer than
the oldest seamen among us had ever seen in those groups of the lower
latitudes most celebrated for this article of commerce. We stayed near
these reefs only long enough to satisfy ourselves that we could easily
load a dozen vessels with the animal if necessary, when we were taken
alongside the schooner, and parted with Too-wit, after obtaining from
him a promise that he would bring us, in the course of twenty-four
hours, as many of the canvass-back ducks and Gallipago tortoises as his
canoes would hold. In the whole of this adventure we saw nothing in the
demeanour of the natives calculated to create suspicion, with the single
exception of the systematic manner in which their party was strengthened
during our route from the s