he captain stated his object in visiting the
island, regretted that there had been a slight misunderstanding during
the last visit, and hoped that no ill-will was borne by either party,
and that a satisfactory trade would be accomplished.

Romata answered that he had forgotten there had been any differences
between them, protested that he was delighted to see his friends again,
and assured them they should have every assistance in cutting and
embarking the wood. The terms were afterwards agreed on, and we rose to
depart. All this conversation was afterwards explained to me by Bill,
who understood the language pretty well.

Romata accompanied us on board, and explained that a great chief from
another island was then on a visit to him, and that he was to be
ceremoniously entertained on the following day. After begging to be
allowed to introduce him to us, and receiving permission, he sent his
canoe ashore to bring him off. At the same time he gave orders to bring
on board his two favourites, a cock and a paroquet. While the canoe was
gone on this errand, I had time to regard the savage chief attentively.
He was a man of immense size, with massive but beautifully moulded limbs
and figure, only parts of which--the broad chest and muscular arms--were
uncovered; for although the lower orders generally wore no other
clothing than a strip of cloth called _maro_ round their loins, the
chief, on particular occasions, wrapped his person in voluminous folds
of a species of native cloth made from the bark of the Chinese
paper-mulberry. Romata wore a magnificent black beard and moustache,
and his hair was frizzed out to such an extent that it resembled a large
turban, in which was stuck a long wooden pin! I afterwards found that
this pin served for scratching the head, for which purpose the fingers
were too short without disarranging the hair. But Romata put himself to
much greater inconvenience on account of his hair; for we found that he
slept with his head resting on a wooden pillow, in which was cut a
hollow for the neck, so that the hair of the sleeper might not be
disarranged.

In ten minutes the canoe returned, bringing the other chief, who
certainly presented a most extraordinary appearance, having painted one
half of his face red and the other half yellow, besides ornamenting it
with various designs in black! Otherwise he was much the same in
appearance as Romata, though not so powerfully built. As this chief had