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became general. Occasionally one of the girls would rise from
her place, and after lighting a cigarette, of which the cylinder
was composed of pandanus leaf instead of paper, would give a
few puffs from her own swarthy lips, and then present it courteously
to one of us. The act was looked on as a delicate way
of paying a compliment, and was on each occasion loudly applauded,
the damsel, as she returned among her friends, seeming
as if overcome with confusion at her own temerity. When the
time fixed for our departure arrived, a most affectionate shaking
of hands took place, and we bade good-bye to the happy little
village of Hifo, delighted with the kindness, hospitality, and good
nature of these far-famed Friendly Islanders.
On the last day previous to our departure from Tongatabu, we
made an excursion to the south side of the island, under the
guidance of Mr. Symonds, the British Consul, and Mr. Hanslip,
the consular interpreter, in order to examine some caves which
were said to be of an unusually wonderful nature. They had, of
course, never been thoroughly explored, and were consequently
said to be of prodigious extent, forming long tunnels through the
island. One story was to the effect that an adventurous woman
had penetrated one branch of the cave, entering on the south side
of the island, and threading its dark recesses for many days,
until she finally emerged into the light of day somewhere near
Nukualofa, on the north side of the island.
A pleasant drive of about ten miles brought us to the shore
of a small bay exposed to the prevailing wind, and receiving on
its beach the full fury of the swell of the main ocean. The
foreshore was strewn with coral débris, and above high-water
mark were quantities of pumice-stone, probably washed up from
the sides of the neighbouring volcanic island of Uea. On either
side, the bay was hemmed in by bold projecting crags of coral
rock, whose faces indicated, by parallel tide erosions, that they
had been elevated by sudden upheaval into their present position.
About one hundred yards from the beach, and forty feet above
r i