We passed all the winter months at Onavoora, during which we had frequent heavy rains. Some of the storms were attended with violent gales, and disagreeably cold weather. About the 3d of May, an influenza made its appearance amongst the inhabitants of Oahoo, and in two days not a well native was any where to be seen. The market, from being well attended, was deserted. In a week, the distress was so general and so great, that it was feared the poor people would perish with hunger. I visited several families, not a member of which was able to help himself or others, and all were totally destitute of food. A great many of the people died, and amongst the rest two chiefs, one of whom was George Tamauri, a native of the Island of Atooi, who was educated in this country. The other was Cahaliha, next in affinity to the king. Scarcely any of the white people were affected. Not even those living on shore. In about ten days, the people from the country began to make their appearance in the market, the distress was greatly alleviated, and soon afterwards the general good health restored. At such times of suffering, the condition of these people is truly wretched. They have no floor to their huts but the hard-beaten ground from which their naked bodies are separated only by two or three thin mats, and during the rainy season the earth becomes perfectly saturated with water. Their huts are generally built in a very frail manner, and in a driving storm are not proof against the rain. This, alone, is sufficient to account for the thinly populated state of the islands, without charging the natives with the acts of inhumanity that have been ascribed to them by some people.