g put in
the "covering"{*} boat.

* The "covering" boat is that which stands by to open fire
if the "landing" boat is attacked.

We made a splendid run down to the Solomons from Samoa, and when in
sight of San Cristoval, spoke a French labour vessel from Noumea,
recruiting for the French New Hebrides Company. Her captain and
his "recruiter" (both Englishmen) paid us a visit. They were old
acquaintances of our captain and myself, and as they came alongside in
their smart whaleboat and Vanaki saw their faces, he gave a weird yell
of delight, and rubbed noses with them the moment they stepped on deck.

"Hallo, Vanaki, my lad," said the skipper of _La Metise_, shaking his
hand, "how are you?" Then turning to us he said: "Vanaki was with me
when I was mate with Captain Macleod, in the old _Aurore_ of Noumea.
He's a rattling good fellow for a native, and I wish I had him with me
now. Wherever did you pick him up?"

We told him, and Houston laughed when I narrated the story of Vanaki's
swim.

"Oh, that's nothing for him to do. Why, the beggar once swam from the
Banks Group across to the Torres Islands. Has he never told you about
it?"

"No. And I would hardly believe him if he did. Why, the two groups are
fifty miles apart."

"No, from Tog in the Torres Islands to Ureparapara in the Banks Group
is a little over forty miles. But you must wheedle the yarn out of him.
He's a bit sensitive of talking about it, on account of his at first
being told he was a liar by several people. But Macleod, two traders who
were passengers with us, and all the crew of the _Aurore_ know the story
to be true. We sent an account of it to the Sydney papers."

"I'll get him to tell me some day," I said "I once heard of a native
woman swimming from Nanomaga in the Ellice Group to Nanomea--thirty-five
miles--but never believed it for a long time."

After spending half an hour with us, our friends went back to their
ship, each having shaken hands warmly with Vanaki, and wished him good
luck.

It was some days before the captain and I had time to hear Vanaki's
story, which I relate as nearly as possible in his own words.

First of all, however, I must mention that Ureparapara or Bligh Island
is a well-wooded, fertile spot, about sixteen miles in circumference,
and is an extinct crater. It is now the seat of a successful mission.
Tog is much smaller, well-wooded, and inhabited, and about nine hundred
feet high. At certain times of