or more probably to watch our proceedings. At our request,
Ookooma, who appears to possess considerable authority,
made the whole crowd, chiefs and all, sit down on
the grass in a circle round us. Their astonishment at our
operations was strongly expressed in their countenances,
and, indeed, our apparatus and behaviour must have looked,
to perfect strangers, somewhat magical.
In the first place the quicksilver, which to them would
appear like melted metal, was poured into a trough, in a
fine stream from a wooden b o ttle ; while it was running out
the people repeated in an under tone “ yi, yi, yi, y i !” but
were silent when the glass roof was placed over the trough.
The circular instrument and sextant, fixed on stands, next
attracted their notice, and they looked on in profound
silence while we were taking the sun's altitude. As we
were too late for the desired observation, we amused the
natives by letting them look at the two reflected images of
the sun through the telescope of the instruments. Ookooma
was the first who looked, and being quite unprepared for
what he saw, started back in astonishment, as if he had unconsciously
beheld something supernatural and forbidden.
The other chiefs, in their turn, placed themselves a t the
instrument, as well as several old men who stepped forward
from the crowd. Some testified their surprise by a sudden
exclamation; others were perfectly calm, so th a t we could
not guess what they thought; and some held up their hands,
and looked as if the whole matter was totally beyond the
reach of their comprehension. When this was over, and there
was no longer any necessity for the crowd being seated, they
closed round and watched us while we were putting the instruments
up. Some of the boys held out their hands for
quicksilver, with which they ran olf, quite happy.
During this time we were about fifty yards from the foot
of a cliff, on the brow of which was posted a group of women
with baskets on their heads; we were unfortunately not near
enough to discern their features, nor to make out their dress
distinctly; it appeared, however, to be like that of the men,
though somewhat shorter, and without any girdle round
the waist.
The rock here rises in perpendicular rugged cliffs of
coral, with a number of rude square excavations on its face,
which, a t first sight, appear to have been worn by the
elements, but on examination shew evident traces of art.
Most of these Caves are closed up by a wall of loose stones,
but in one, of which the . mouth was open, several human
bones were found lying amongst the sand. On removing
a stone from a closed cave, a vase was observed in the
inside, of an elegant shape; the people signified to us that