Island of Rota.—Appearance.—Streets and Houses.—Inhabitants.— Governor.—Guam.—Umata Bay.—Procuring Water.—Marisa.—Its Appearance.—Port of Apia.—Fort.—Liberty.—A splendid Ride.— Boarding-houses.—Police.—Reflections.—Inhabitants.—Choppers.—A cowardly Murder.—Bombardment of the Palace.—Attend Mass.—Toddy.— Streets.—Houses.—Palace.—Calaboose.—Cock-fighting.—Seminary.— Insurrection of Prisoners.—Females.—Take a Stroll.—Ruins.— Reservoir.—Tobacco.—Betel Nut.—Captain Anderson.—Rebellion.— Jollification.—A novel Mode of choosing a Governor.— Congratulations.—Parade.—Aguadente.—Caroline Islanders.—Last Day on Shore.—Arguing the Point.—Disarming the Guard.—“Where is my Musket?”—Visit to the Fort.—Strange Doings.—Ready for Sea. With a strong breeze and all sail out, we were not long in reaching the Ladrone Islands. Tuesday, April 6th, at daylight, saw the island of Rota, bearing west half north, distant thirty miles. In the afternoon, in company with a boat from the “Mohawk,” we went on shore and procured a few hogs, yams, and fruit. This island is one of the most magnificent in appearance from the sea that we have yet seen. The land is moderately high, and thickly covered with evergreen foliage, with an occasional opening, showing the marks of cultivation. The town is built on a level spot of ground, with great regularity and neatness; the houses are all whitewashed or painted, and the streets kept clean. The inhabitants are very courteous and friendly, and evince quite a degree of civilization. They have a fine-looking church here, Roman Catholic, of course, which is built of stone, and looks much better on the outside than the inside. The governor received the captain, dressed in full uniform. He is a tall, noble-looking Spaniard, but the dress appeared as if it were made for some more bulky personage; perhaps he wore it _ex-officio_. One of the boys exclaimed, on seeing him, “The old governor’s clothes set like a purser’s shirt on a handspike.” His palace, as they term it, is a very comfortable-looking stone building, the calaboose adjoining it. The next morning we were close in to the island of Guam. We took a pilot and proceeded to Umata Bay, where we dropped anchor about three P.M. Umata Bay is the watering-place for all whalers who refit at Guam, as it is the only point on the island where fresh water can be readily obtained. It is called a bay, but it is merely a roadstead, as ships anchoring here are exposed to the sea in all directions except the eastward. Both ships’ companies were at it next morning rafting water, and made the old hills resound to the chorus of the merry song as they bent back to the tugging oar.