At Toubouai, we added considerably to our collection of curiosities. The most ingeniously wrought article, was a lash, used by the natives for brushing the flies off of their backs. The handles were carved to represent a man's face, or some animal familiar to them. The lash itself, was, in several strands, finely braided from twine of the cocoa-nut husk. The natives were, in general, naked, except a wrapper round their waists, and had a sickly and feeble look. The island is very fertile, producing, in many parts, large quantities of cocoa-nut and bread-fruit, and is capable, without further improvement, of sustaining some thousands of people. The population has greatly diminished within the recollection of recent visiters. It must have been much greater when visited by the mutineers of the Bounty, who built a fort on the island, but afterwards became dissatisfied, and left it in consequence of the treacherous and hostile character of the natives. The only survivor of those guilty men, who is now the patriarch of Pitcairn's Island, states, that they had war with the natives previous to leaving Toubouai, and that they killed a great many of them. His estimate of the inhabitants at that time, is fifteen thousand. King Dick told me, that the huts we saw on the side of the island opposite to where we anchored, were once inhabited by people who were all dead. We obtained wood and water of a good quality, without much labour. Hogs were scarce, and we got none but what were presented to us. The natives gave us a few domestic fowls, in exchange for writing paper. The paper was used by the women for making paste-board for a bonnet, that had just been introduced amongst them by the wives of the Otaheite missionaries. On the island of Toubouai, there is a tree, the bark of which, makes excellent cordage. It is produced in great abundance, and grows to the size of six or eight inches in diameter. After the ship builders were interrupted in their work, by the discontent of some of the party, the remainder made a rope-walk, and devoted themselves to making rope of this bark. They had several small cables, and a considerable quantity of rope. We purchased some, and found it to wear nearly, or quite, as well as hemp. Arrow root, grows spontaneously upon the island, and has been taken away by several vessels, as an article of commerce. We were informed that the scarcity of hogs was in consequence of a great many having been carried off recently, by a vessel belonging to the missionaries. Also, that they lay all the small islands under contribution, and annually send their small vessels to collect the hogs, which they barrel, and send to Port Jackson. This may be true or not. It was positively asserted.