enterprise. At the end of that period his effects were landed; but early one morning, a few days later, a native swam off to the ship and informed the captain that the terrified missionary had passed the night wandering about the beach, after losing nearly all his goods and chattels. A boat was thereupon sent for him, and he was safely taken on board, though in a lamentable state of mental prostration. His pusillanimity, however, served as a foil to his colleague's constancy and noble resolution to do his duty. It has seldom happened to any one to undertake such a mission under such peculiarly disheartening circumstances, but Mr Crook stood by the banner of his faith and acquitted himself as a true Christian warrior.

The Marquesas are formed by two clusters-the one consisting of five, the other of eight islands. The former, or south-eastern group, comprises Tahuata or Santa Christina, Hivaoa or La Dominica, Mohotane or San Pedro, Fatuhiva or La Madalena, and Fetuuku or Hood's Island. The latter, or north-westerly group, are sometimes called the Washington Islands, and include Nukuhiva or Sir H. Martin's Island, Uapou or Trevenian's Island, Huakuka or Riou's Island, Hergest's Island, and Robert's Island.

The Marquesas are simply mountain-tops rising out of the waves to the height of two to three thousand feet. Being unprotected by coral-reefs, the sea breaks at the foot of the highlands, without the intervention of the level productive belt that is found in the neighbouring groups. In the valleys, however, there is sufficient cultivable ground to meet the wants of the population, and nowhere does the bread-fruit attain to a higher degree of perfection. The mountains are clothed with a luxuriant vegetation to their summits, and fertilising streams descend in cascades from

the heights and sweep through the narrow vales. Famines are of frequent occurrence, owing to the indolence of the natives, who trust to their crops of bread-fruit; and, when these fail, slaughter their wives, children, and parents, whose flesh, when baked or stewed, they ravenously devour. Here, too, human sacrifices are eaten by the priests, instead of being buried or suspended from trees, as was customary in most of the Polynesian groups. Indeed it is stated that the priests occasionally pretend to fall into a sort of trance, during which a supernatural communication is made to them that near such a place a person of such a description will be seen, who must be delivered up to them. The credulous natives to whom this vision is related immediately lay in wait near the spot indicated, and should any individual happen to pass that way bearing the slightest resemblance to the description given by the priest, he is straightway seized and carried off to the marae, where he is speedily killed, cooked, and eaten. Not the priests alone are subject to this depraved appetite. All classes are afflicted with the same morbid desire to feed upon human flesh. It is in the hope of obtaining dead bodies for a feast that wars are so constantly waged between different chiefs. Skulls are worn as trophies, human bones are made into objects of domestic use, human hair ornaments their weapons. It is almost superfluous to add that the inhabitants of these islands are usually described as wild, ferocious savages, prone to thieving, and grossly licentious above their fellows.

Their personal appearance, however, is decidedly in their favour. The men are tall, muscular, and active, while the women are admired for the gracefulness of their movements and the vivacity of their disposition. Their dress is

The Process of Tatauing.

161

made from the inner bark of the paper-mulberry,—though cotton of superior quality thrives abundantly,—and consists of "a broad bandage worn round the waist, and a large square piece like a shawl cast loosely over the upper part of the body, tied in a knot on one shoulder, and reaching below the knees." The hair is dressed in two ways. Either the forepart of the head is shaved, or else the entire skull with the exception of two patches, one above each ear, the hair of which is tied up in a knot. But their chief distinction lies in their tatauing, in which they excel all other peoples. The colouring matter is jet black, which gives to the outer skin a bluish or dark slate-coloured hue. In the case of the men the entire body is often covered with stripes and figures. "The face," says Mr Ellis, "is sometimes divided into different compartments, each of which receives a varied shade of colour; sometimes it is covered with broad stripes, crossing each other at right angles; and sometimes it is crowded with sharks, lizards, and figures of other animals, delineated with considerable spirit, freedom, and accuracy, frequently with open mouths, or extended claws, so as to give the countenance a most repulsive and frightful aspect."

The operation itself is a tedious and painful process. The colouring matter, obtained by pulverising and mixing with oil the blackened ashes of the candle-nut, is driven through the skin by an oblong piece of human bone, two inches long and an inch and a half broad, cut like a small-toothed comb, one end of which is tied on to a cane or stick. Being dipped in the mixture, the teeth of this comb are forced through the skin by a sharp tap with a mallet, and this is repeated as long as the patient can endure the pain. In many instances, where parents are desirous of ornamenting

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