and consisted of a bundle of rather fine white fibres.  Although very much coarser than our hemp, it is of nearly uniform size, and possesses considerable strength, but breaks easily when knotted.  We saw it in considerable quantity, but had no means of ascertaining the plant from which it is derived, probably, however, a banana of some kind.  We occasionally saw pieces of a white soft papery cloth, apparently similar to the tapa of Polynesia, and like it made of the inner bark of some small tree, but it did not appear to be applied to much use.

(Footnote.  Similar to that figured.)

In the Louisiade we had not observed the betel pepper, but here it was found in common use—­both the leaf and green fruit, especially the latter, being added to the lime and areca-nut.  Still betel chewing, although a very general habit, is by no means universally practised, for many elderly people retained the original whiteness of the teeth.  By the males it appears to be adopted only after attaining the state of manhood, and among the females is almost entirely confined to the old women.

The fondness of these people for flowers and strong-scented plants is remarkable—­they wear them in their hair, thrust under the armlets and girdle, or as garlands round the neck.  Among the chief favourites may be mentioned an amaranth with purple leaves, giving out a very rich colour upon pressure being applied, and a species of mint-like herb which they dry in bunches, and carry about with them.

MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

In addition to the drum formerly mentioned, and large shells—­Cassis or Triton—­with a hole at one end, used as trumpets, we saw a small Pandean pipe made of portions of reed of different lengths, and a tube of bamboo, two feet long, which gives out a sound like a horn when blown into.

FOOD.

The staple article of food is the yam, which is produced here in great abundance, of large size, and excellent quality.  Several other tubers, or roots, are eaten.  Among them is that of a species of Calladium, which requires much cooking to destroy its acridity.  The coconut-tree grows everywhere.  In the canoes we saw abundance of sugarcane in pieces two feet in length and an inch in thickness, and the natives brought off to us bananas, breadfruit, mangoes, and prepared arrowroot.  To a certain extent also the natives feed upon fish, judging from the nets and fishing-spears seen among them.  The former, although frequently thirty or forty feet in length, did not exceed eighteen inches in depth—­they have small meshes, thin triangular wooden floats, and shells at the bottom as sinkers.  Although we saw many pigs on shore in the village, only one was obtained by barter, in this one a spear wound behind the shoulder was made alongside the ship before handing it on board, but for what purpose we could not understand, as it did not kill the animal.  Dogs also I have reason to believe are occasionally eaten, but whether cannibalism is ever practised by these people is a question which we have not the means of settling, as no evidence bearing upon the point could be obtained.