rubs and tangled vines.

Away up here, hidden in the depths of the forest, there were three
or four houses; not the blue-painted or whitewashed cabins of the
settlement, but half-open native cots, with smoke rising from the
fire made in a circle of stones on the _paepaes_. The hour of sleep
had passed, and squatted before the troughs men and women mashed the
_ma_ for the _popoi_, or idled on the platform in red and yellow
_pareus_, watching the roasting breadfruit. There must be
poverty-stricken folk indeed, for I saw that the houses showed no
sign whatever of the ugliness that the Marquesan has aped from the
whites. Yet neither were they the wretched huts of straw and thatch
which I had seen in the valley and supposed to be the only remnants
of the native architecture.

As I drew nearer, I saw that I had stumbled upon such a house as the
Marquesan had known in the days of his strength, when pride of
artistry had created wonderful and beautiful structures of native
wood adorned in elegant and curious patterns.

It was erected upon a _paepae_ about ten feet high, reached by a
broad and smooth stairway of similar massive black rocks. The house,
long and narrow, covered all of the _paepae_ but a veranda in front,
the edge of which was fenced with bamboo ingeniously formed into
patterns of squares. A friendly call of "_Kaoha!_" in response to
mine, summoned me to the family meeting-place, and I mounted the
steps with eagerness.

I was met by a stalwart and handsome savage, in earrings and
necklace and scarlet _pareu_, who rubbed my nose with his and
smelled me ceremoniously, welcoming me as an honored guest. Several
women followed his example, while naked children ran forward
curiously to look at the stranger.

Learning the interest and admiration I felt for his house, my host
displayed it with ill-concealed pride. Its frame was of the
largest-sized bamboos standing upright, and faced with hibiscus
strips, all lashed handsomely and strongly with _faufee_ cordage.
Upon this framework were set the walls, constructed of canes arranged
in a delicate pattern, the fastenings being of _purau_ or other
rattan-like creepers, all tied neatly and regularly. As the
residence was only about a dozen feet deep, through three times that
length, these walls were not only attractive but eminently
serviceable, the canes shading the interior, and the interstices
between them admitting ample light and air.

We entered through a low ope