There hung at this end of the hut a matted bag or basket, in which was a piece of roasted yam, and some sort of leaves, all quite fresh. I had a strong desire to see the inside of the hut, but the man was peremptory in refusing this, and even showed an unwillingness to permit me to look into the basket. He wore round his neck, fastened to a string, two or three locks of human hair; and a woman present had several about her neck. I offered something in exchange for them; but they gave me to understand they could not part with them, as it was the hair of the person who lay in the hut. Thus I was led to believe, that these people dispose of their dead in a manner similar to that of Otaheite. The same custom of wearing the hair is observed by the people of that island, and also by the New Zealanders. The former make _Tamau_ of the hair of their deceased friends, and the latter make ear-rings and necklaces of their teeth. Near most of their large houses were fixed upright in the ground the stems of four cocoa-nut trees, in a square position, about three feet from each other. Some of our gentlemen, who first saw them, were inclined to believe they were thus placed on a religious account; but I was now satisfied that it was for no other purpose but to hang cocoa-nuts on to dry. For when I asked, as well as I could, the use of them, a man took me to one, loaded with cocoa-nuts from the bottom to the top; and no words could have informed me better. Their situation is well chosen for this use, as most of their large houses are built in an open airy place, or where the wind has a free passage, from whatever direction it blows. Near most, if not all of them, is a large tree, or two, whose spreading branches afford an agreeable retreat from the scorching sun. This part of the island was well cultivated, open and airy; the plantations were laid out by line, abounding with plantains, sugar-canes, yams, and other roots, and stocked with fruit trees. In our walk we met with our old friend Paowang, who, with some others, accompanied us to the water-side, and brought with them, as a present, a few yams and cocoa-nuts.