f Vau Vau, a picturesque, densely
wooded, and in many places precipitous, group of islands, the approach
being singularly free from dangers in the shape of partly hidden reefs.
Long and intricate were the passages we threaded, until we finally came
to anchor in a lovely little bay perfectly sheltered from all winds. We
moored, within a mile of a dazzling white beach, in twelve fathoms. A
few native houses embowered in orange and cocoa-nut trees showed here
and there, while the two horns of the bay were steep-to, and covered
with verdure almost down to the water's edge. The anchor was hardly down
before a perfect fleet of canoes flocked around us, all carrying the
familiar balancing outrigger, without which those narrow dugouts cannot
possibly keep upright. Their occupants swarmed on board, laughing and
playing like so many children, and with all sorts of winning gestures
and tones besought our friendship. "You my flem?" was the one question
which all asked; but what its import might be we could not guess for
some time. By-and-by it appeared that when once you had agreed to accept
a native for your "flem," or friend, he from henceforward felt in duty
bound to attend to all your wants which it lay within his power to
supply. This important preliminary settled, fruit and provisions of
various kinds appeared as if by magic. Huge baskets of luscious oranges,
massive bunches of gold and green bananas, clusters of green cocoa-nuts,
conch-shells full of chillies, fowls loudly protesting against their
hard fate, gourds full of eggs, and a few vociferous swine--all came
tumbling on board in richest profusion, and, strangest thing of all,
not a copper was asked in return. I might have as truly said nothing
was asked, since money must have been useless here. Many women came
alongside, but none climbed on board. Surprised at this, I asked Samuela
the reason, as soon as I could disengage him for a few moments from the
caresses of his friends. He informed me that the ladies' reluctance to
favour us with their society was owing to their being in native dress,
which it is punishable to appear in among white men, the punishment
consisting of a rather heavy fine. Even the men and boys, I noticed,
before they ventured to climb on board, stayed a while to put on
trousers, or what did duty for those useful articles of dress. At any
rate, they were all clothed, not merely enwrapped with a fold or two of
"tapa," the native bark-cloth, but made a