more infufible, and /'many are foundlike pumke-tene, In powder
the magnet -attracts many ■parfiifes. .•'•"ïMs, with other high iflands,
has evidently a vblcariic origin. -
In ’the diftriCt df Matavâi there# a fingiilrir-cliff, called Peeha 3
tvhidh one of the miffionaries defcribes as formed /« f an immenle
number of; .jiedes o f iftdne, ^ronÿyk^entë&dOgêtterj1and
hanging in a very romantic manner. ■ The cliff -is about eighty/or
fl^ety diet bigth imd twiefe l^oad j 'at ^he îbettom ^iSahsîa «ivér,
the largeft in theifland. This is prôbably'bafeîtiGi . »/"■
The ritofifttaite âre in feme paffs aridféll o f precipiri#, broken
as by earthquakes. lo t t e -bofom-of hhofe'which Bound fhe diftriCl:
of ^yeôrêdèWhèfe -is -a remarkably làrj^ freib-watéf lake, called
Vyehiëerea, Which the natives faÿ-caflnétbèteUndéd WitH ah^dÉfâél
and contains eels of a monftrous .fixe, On the banks' of- (this lake
fnan-y inhabitants are feàted.whohavepferityofrill forts of prOvifidns,
except the brêad^fmit; for wWnh they fübftituteilhé ^Qénkuniplâai^,
tain. This lake--^|tiés Mfelf into fhe vallfey-df- !Vy'ébrëde. Here
ate) they makeWft quantities ofWgreyiifhcloth higlriy qfejaedpfeeat
from the bark of the mountain floe tree ; and -a rîurriber ofatrébies
frequent the !place for this purpofe, as they prefer the cloth to any
Other, -ànd call it braa.1
The bay of Matavâi affords fife anchorage durmg .eight months
©f the year, bût# dahgeroris fffom DéieèrffBéf tdMârch.j the-bottom
is â blackifh land, from fix fo eighteen fathom. The channel( between,
the reef and the Dolphin bank, on Which tte waterds -thirteen feet
only -In the ïhoaler part, extends’not -mete than half a 'cahld-S ’length j
but has twenty-two fathoms of water ; yet, in a weakly manned
feip, -this pâfiage fieemS preferable td-pafltng to the weftward ofthe
bank, W it frequently ‘happens that the wind comes off in fquÿtlâ
from One Tree hill in"a fouthern direction,. and often falls into a
dead calm ; both which , may be avoided by keeping the reef clofe
aboard, with fen fathoms water, and bringing up where you pleafe, as
there is no foul ground to windward of the Dolphin, hank, nor any
WÊÊÊÊÊÊKÊÊÊKIÊÊÊÊÊÊÊKÊÊKÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊtÊÈtÊÊÊÈÊÊÊÊÈ
•ArrEKBtk.] TO T H E SQUmaSEA ISLANDS. W 5
■ rooks/butwhat are' vifibfe. 1, Thedimken rocks, called Toa, the natives
know^and are ready/to .point out. The only harbourfo-the weftwartj
is thatie^hOparre,. called* Toa-joa; or Long rock.
- •> 'Water is /convenient: andabundant imaQi parts o f Jthe ifiantL
T he weather, dri-ring5 out.. ftay, from March till Auguft, was ferene
•and pleajEanti' the thermometer »ever finking fewer than Ajff/and:
teldafti'higher dhanfy'^^iBandyfSicool.at night -aS to make:a blanket
WelcOttfe/ 1 When' we i earner. the weather Was a little fqually and
rainy-, btertig'-'the -end o f .’the.Taiagh ifeafe®, switech commences dome-
rifnWfe December and dalbs'JtteoMaiphj; ,during,ttefe -months the
wiriS ffequeritlyblows hard fromithe wed,; with,rain, and throws a
heavy fwell and furf on the #iqre-into cMatavai bay ilheireffi o f the
^y^-tfhfWfed' bfey^/frOth fheieadfe rbuhrydfh..^ alternate -land and
the ifland, WbidfeOeartends dtst’iiffluence about *
'* .S E C T IO N 1 T Ï .
Governments— Ranks in Soci^.^iProper0 ÿ
TH E government o f Otsheitè fe fmoriaréhkal, arid btredifasey iritone
fariiily^j, d£(fhiS'(fwO'.rba»iictes,fuMff..; .Temârre, dlfefen'fOf- Qbgïêa
and Oàmn&Oj reigned, when W allis Jfir^c.Vifited gthefûfl'sndS-K'h^ -W®s
.then ÿ ’ëhrld, tad ;Oferëa' his 'panther -Whs regent. i, s lOammo and , the
had quarrelled about faring the .child, which he wiflied tO ideftrrijSfiS
Whether -to retain -ïhe fovereignty'toQg.eîEv-/orififfpeâiingîîh%tl the child
did not belong to him, the lady not being; jfparing ofter:jfavo»Es
•to-others. On his accefliorij' OammoTetired to ;a private.ftation in
b is own diftrid ;©f Bàpparâ, and: kfe;hi$;<wife#. an-ari&ve Woman»