Near the high chief's hut, we came to consecrated ground. It was the place of burial for the royal dead. It was but a small space, comprehended within the circumference of a few yards, and at the head of each grave stood a cocoa-nut tree, bound round with dry leaves,--a mark that prohibited the use of the fruit. We were accompanied by a son of the high chief, a child about twelve years old, who desired us not to tread on the graves of his ancestors. Two graves were pointed out, as those of chiefs, who had been highly distinguished, beside which stood the aged trunks of cocoa-nut trees, that indicated the period of their demise to have been very distant. At one of the huts we saw a domestic fowl, which, when I expressed a wish to purchase, the chief's son, whose name was Ladro, immediately presented me. We afterwards saw a number of others running wild in the thickets. They were small, and looked like what is called the bantam. The natives never eat them, giving, as the reason for it, that they are not cleanly in their food. On our return, Lay took me to a place, where, after the massacre, he had buried a Spanish dollar. It was still there, and he took it with him as a memento of his captivity. We passed several springs of water, to which the women are banished at a certain period. We met with a native, whom Lay knew, and who, assuming the native dress, went through the violent motions and gestures of a Mulgrave man, engaged in battle. It was an indescribable mixture of the frightful and ludicrous. I was apprehensive that it would offend the native: but he laughed with us at the representation, and said, it was very good. On the following morning, December the second, we were disappointed in not seeing the chiefs. The captain went again to the high chief's mother, who made some excuse for their not appearing, and declared, that they would positively be up that night by moonlight. He told her to send to them again, and say, if they were not there on the morrow, he would go after them, and the consequence might be serious. The old woman seemed very much alarmed at hearing such language, and promised a faithful compliance on the part of her son. It had the desired effect, as on the following morning, December the third, the chiefs all presented themselves on the shore, near our anchorage. The captain, taking Lay and Huzzy with him, went on shore to meet them. They told him, by way of opening the interview, that they were in his power, and ready to obey all his commands. He required of them to restore a whale boat that belonged to the Globe, a swivel, they had taken from the white men, and Lay's musket, to all of which they cheerfully assented. He then gave them, as a proof of his friendship, some cotton handkerchiefs, axes, and a variety of other articles, of much more value to them than those he had taken. He told them, that white men would never come there to hurt them, and that they must always be kind and