Page:The Boy Travellers in Australasia.djvu/14

CHAPTER V.

From the Society to the Samoan Islands.—Before the Trade-winds.—Notes about the Missionaries.—Opposition of Traders to Missionaries.—How Polynesia was Christianized.—The Work of the Missions.—Rev. John Williams.—Romantic Story of the Hertey Group.—The London Missionary Society.—The Wesleyan and other Missions.—Death of Mr. Williams.—Sandal-wood Traders.—Polynesian Slavery.—Labor-vessels and the Labor-trade.—How Natives were Kidnapped.—"The Missionary Trick."—The Mutiny on the "Carl."—Capture of the "Daphne."—How Labor is Obtained at Present . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Page 99

CHAPTER VI.

The Samoan Islands.—Apia.—Its Position and Peculiarities.—Beach-combers.—History and Adventures of some of them.—Charley Savage.—Samoan Politics.—Attempt to Poison Missionaries.—French Convent and Schools.—Commerce with Samoa.—Visiting a Native Village.—Games of the Young People.—Youths Throwing Spears.—Mission College at Malua.—How the Students Live.—Pango-Pango.—Admiral Wilkes's Description.—Attending a Samoan Picnic.—Differences of Taste.—Massacre Bay.—La Pérouse.—How his Fate was Discovered.—The Sword-hilt at Tucopia.—Loss of the "Boussole" and "Astrolabe."—Vanikoro Island . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

122

CHAPTER VII.

The Feejee Islands: their Extent and Population.—Terrible Fatality of the Measles.—Rotumah and its People.—Kandavu and Suva.—Viti Levu.—Sights of the Capital.—Productions and Commerce of Feejee.—Growth of the Sugar Trade.—The Labor Question.—Observations among the Natives.—Feejeean Hair-dressing.—Native Peculiarities.—Cannibalism: its Extent and Suppression.—How the Chiefs were Supplied.—A whole Tribe of People Eaten.—Levuka.—Interviews with Merchants and Planters.—The Bololo Festival.—Ancient Customs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

147

CHAPTER VIII.

Attending a Native Church.—A Feejeean Preacher.—Dinner with a Feejeean Family.—The Seasons in Feejee.—A Tropical Shower.—A Hurricane.—A Planter's Adventures.—Scenes of Devastation.—The Climate of the Feejee Islands.—Wrecked on a Reef.—Escaping from the Jaws of Cannibals.—A Walking Art Gallery.—A Tattooed White Man.—Returning to Suva.—The Friendly, or Tonga, Islands.—Tongataboo.—The King of the Tongas: how he Lives.—A Remarkable Cavern and a Love Story about it.—From Feejee to New Zealand.—Hauraki Gulf.—Auckland.—A Fine Seaport and its Commerce.—How New Zealand was Colonized.—The Maoris.—Curious Facts about a Curious People.—Missionaries in New Zealand.—How the Maoris Make War . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

173

CHAPTER IX.

The Suburbs of Auckland.—Extinct Volcanoes.—Maori Fortifications.—A Kauri Forest.—Kauri Lumber and Gum.—How the Gum is Formed and Found.—Trees of New Zealand and their Value.—Ferns and their Variety.—A Pakeha Maori: his Reminiscences.—Curious Native Customs.—Buying Heads.—Sale of a Living Man's Head.—The Law of Muru.—New Zealand Birds.—The Gigantic Moa, or Dinornis.—Native Weddings.—Kawau Island.—Shark-fishing.—Oysters.—Visiting the Thames Gold-fields.—Sights and Scenes.—Gold-mining in New Zealand.—Population of the Colony.—Encouragement to Immigration.—Journey to the Hot Lakes.—Climate of New Zealand . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

198

CHAPTER X.

The Hot Lake District: its Extent and Peculiarities.—Medicinal Springs.—Analysis of the Waters.—Fred's Narrow Escape.—Scalded to Death in a Hot Pool.—Lake Rotomahana.