As even the "oldest inhabitants" could give us not the slightest information as to these ruins, and their origin and history are plunged in the utmost obscurity, it seems not improbable that these stone ma.s.ses were once the fortified retreat of pirates, and were built by Spanish corsairs 200 or 300 years back. This hypothesis receives confirmation in the fact that in 1838 or 1840, a small bra.s.s cannon was found on a hill in the interior, which was brought home as a curiosity by H.M.S. _Larne_.

Occasionally, too, at various parts of the island clearings are found, some of which are several acres in extent. In one of these, still in existence near the harbour of Roankiddi, the traveller is shown an artificial mound of about 20 feet wide, 8 feet high, and a quarter of a mile long, which has obviously been thrown up as a defence, or else has been the place of interment for such as have fallen in a severe contest.

This conjecture adopted, it follows that the present population is of quite recent introduction, and the rumour of a black race inhabiting the interior must necessarily be treated as a myth.

While we were asking questions and getting up information, evening was beginning to draw on, and we could not remain longer on the island, as it was necessary to return on ship-board before nightfall, the frigate having meanwhile been kept cruising under easy sail, about three or four miles off the island. Another reason for our immediate departure was to be found in our narrow flat-bottomed craft, which in any sort of sea-way would have some difficulty in escaping swamping. Had the wind during our return voyage freshened ever so little, we should have found ourselves in a serious dilemma. Numbers of herons, white, black, and mottled, were fishing in the shallow water along the edge of the reefs, the sea-raven flew in vast flights among the lagoons, while high overhead the graceful frigate-bird swept along, every now and then darting rapidly down to secure his booty.

One of the whites whom we employed as our guide in the island, accompanied us on board, and asked as his reward some tobacco and clothes, with which he departed much satisfied. In him, too, we observed a marked and quite peculiar shyness, especially when on board the frigate. He seemed as though he dreaded some avenging hand. His glance was timid, his gait and motions betrayed a sense of insecurity, and he might have readily been mistaken for some repentant sinner, who in consequence of some evil deed had fled from civilized society and sought out this distant asylum, where he had scarcely to fear any other persecution than that of his own conscience! Hardly any spot, indeed, can be named more suitable for thus expiating crime than this remote island, where the white man, face to face with nature in a new and unwonted aspect, and at the mercy of a savage people, often deprived for months of the consolations and support of civilization, finds in his solitude ample opportunity to reflect upon the enormity of his guilt, and to mourn over his own evil fortune.

As the west wind, which still blew, effectually prevented the frigate from entering the harbour of Roankiddi, and there was no reason to hope for any speedy change, our original intention of spending several days there was abandoned, and the same evening we resumed our course for Australia.

As our brief stay of barely five hours on the island of Puynipet necessarily led to our observations and remarks being of the most superficial nature, whereas the island has of late years begun to acquire an unusual importance both in a maritime and a commercial sense, we must content ourselves with referring the reader for a more detailed account to Captain Cheyne's admirable and comprehensive account of the island.

"The Ant Islands (called also Fraser's Islands) lie in a S.W. direction from the harbour of Roankiddi, from which they are about 12 nautical miles distant.

"They consist of a group of low coral islets covered with cocoa-palms and bread-fruit trees, and surrounded by a coral reef, which makes a lagoon in the centre. Between the two longer islands at the east end of the group there is a channel. The entire group from N.W. to S.E. measures seven miles in width, is only inhabited from May to September, during the period when the cuttle-fish are caught, and is the property of the chief of the Roankiddi tribe. However the islands are frequented at all seasons by the natives of Puynipet, who procure here cocoa-nuts and bread-fruit. The most north-easterly point lies in 6 42' N., 158 3' E.

"Next the Ant Island is Pakeen, the sole adjoining island. It lies about 22 miles W. of Tschokoits, its central point lying in 7 10' N. and 157 43' E. It consists of five small coral islets, completely inclosed in a reef, which forms an inaccessible lagoon in the interior.

"The entire group is about five miles in length from west to east, and from north to south three miles in width. The islands are very low, but produce an enormous quant.i.ty of cocoa-nuts and bread-fruit, while the lagoon abounds with excellent fish. The westernmost island is inhabited by about thirty persons in all, mainly of the family and attendants of the Chief of Puynipet, who claims proprietorship of the whole group. This scanty population is chiefly engaged in the construction of mats and canoe-sails made of the leaves of the _panda.n.u.s_. In fine weather the denizens of Pakeen are fond of running over to Puynipet to exchange their own products for tobacco and other foreign articles.

"What are marked on the charts as Bottomless Group and St. Augustine's Islands have no existence. Pakeen and Ant's Islands are the same groups adjoining each other to the westward of Puynipet."

Our progress now began to be very slow, and the equatorial zones with their vexatious calms, and variable light breezes alternating with violent squalls, became a sore trial for our patience. An unusual and most oppressive heat, from which we vainly sought shelter; tropical rains, which often fell in unbroken torrents for hours at a time, and obscured the daylight with clouds almost as suddenly at times as though there were an eclipse; a long heavy swell, which knocked the good ship about with an unceasing and most disagreeable motion, without nevertheless our being able to advance one single mile in the twenty-four hours; the depressing monotonous flapping and filling of the sails, which, with the rolling and pitching of the ship, now bellied out and then fell idly back against the masts and yards, straining the rigging and cordage, and keeping a constant indescribable but most irritating noise--such is a faint sketch of the miseries of voyagers caught by an equatorial calm in a sailing vessel! How one longs for a good hearty storm, if only to drive us out of this truly dismal plight! How in the monotony of such an existence does a quite insignificant circ.u.mstance at once a.s.sume the proportions of an important event! The most trifling incident on board, the most imperceptible object which becomes visible in either atmosphere or water, attracts universal attention, and gives rise to discussions by the hour. One day some one perceived a dark object floating in the distance; when the frigate got near this proved to be the trunk of a tree, almost 100 feet long, and though at best we could only have used it as firewood, a boat was forthwith manned and dispatched to tow it alongside. A few black Albatrosses suffered themselves to be hauled contentedly along upon the floating trunk, somewhat astonishing us by their being found so near the equator. Only by dint of considerable exertion was the huge unwieldy piece of wood brought on board, when the zoologists got a famous lesson in conchology, from the sh.e.l.l-fish that had fastened on it, and the sailors chuckled with delight at finding some occupation in cutting up the vegetable colossus into sizeable pieces.

At 6.30 P.M. on the 29th Sept., we crossed the equator for the sixth time in 161 57' E., and in the Southern hemisphere found we still had to contend with calms and contrary winds.

"To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow, Crept in this petty pace from day to day,"

without our making any perceptible progress. When we had reached 4 15'

S., and 160 24' E., a circ.u.mstance occurred to break the uniformity of our existence, as according to the charts we were using of the Hydrographic Inst.i.tute of England for the year 1856,[197] we must have been quite close to some coral reefs, known as Simpson's Island. But although by our observations, after due allowance made for currents, we were, about 4 P.M. of the 5th October, off the N.W. extremity of the islands, there was no land of any sort visible on either side even from the royals, and we accordingly had to conjecture that Captain Simpson, after whom these islands were named, must have sighted one of the Le Maire or Tasman group, which lie 40 miles further to the west and 10 miles further to the north, and had, owing to false reckoning, imagined to have discovered a new cl.u.s.ter; for on the following day at 6 P.M., when by our course, which was south-easterly, the island ought to have lain W.N.W. ten miles distant, not a vestige of land could be descried from the deck, nor even from the mast-head, so that we felt positive the Simpson group were neither at the spot laid in the general chart of the English Admiralty, nor within ten miles of it in either an easterly or westerly direction.[198]

A few days after this interlude, an incident of a very peculiar character took place, which excited universal attention, and more especially greatly exercised the souls of the superst.i.tious. The occasion was nothing less than a dread whisper that there was a ghost on board. From time to time, in fact, dull rumbling sounds were said to be audible, which some professed to hear above them, others below, some in the fore part of the ship, others aft. It was a noise like the roll of thunder, or of cannon-b.a.l.l.s that had got loose. The shot-racks were carefully examined, but everything there appeared to be in its usual order. The sound was repeated the following days, when there was hanging over us a sky as black and murky, accompanied by heavy pelts of rain, as though all the clouds of heaven were lavishing their contents upon us. All on board indulged in every possible hypothesis that could explain these sounds, and exhausted themselves in conjectures. Some maintained that one of the volcanoes of the Solomon group, in the vicinity of which we were at the time, was in a state of activity, and was the cause of these sub-marine thunders; but the sailors, sailor-like, insisted it was ghosts playing pranks, and the attendants refused any longer to remain in the c.o.c.k-pit, alleging it was haunted! However, when a second examination was made of the shot-racks, it was found that no fewer than eighty thirty-pound iron shots had broken through the wooden bulk-head of the ordnance room, whence they had made their way into the bread-depot, as it was called, and on its metal floor had produced the resonance peculiar to the impact of metal against metal.

The mystery was at once solved in the most natural manner, and the "each-particular-hair-on-end" ghost stories which during the last few days had been flying from mouth to mouth, forthwith dropped. Thus might many a "marvel" prove to be the result of some very ordinary cause, if people would but take the trouble to examine its natural causes, instead of ascribing everything which they cannot understand or explain to some supernatural influence.

At noon of the 7th October, in 6 37' S., 161 8' E., we were, according to chart, 12 miles distant from Bradley's Reef. But although both seamen and midshipmen were stationed at the mast-heads, in order the more readily to make it out with the advantage of such an elevation, there was not the slightest trace perceptible of rocks or shoals, and we sailed without obstruction over the very spot at which, according to the English charts, Bradley's Reef rises from the waves. This reef was discovered by Captain Hunter in May, 1791, two days after he had pa.s.sed Stewart's Island (Sikayana), and is doubly dangerous in a climate where the sea rarely runs so high as to make it easily observed by the surf breaking over it.

According to our observations, collated with those of Captain Cheyne, Bradley's Reef must lie in about 160 48' E.[199]

The same day about 7 P.M., when we were about 120 miles distant from the N.W. part of the Solomon group, there suddenly and altogether unexpectedly blazed forth in the western sky an immense and most brilliant comet, with a yellow, rather bright nucleus, and an enormous tail, sweeping over some 15 or 20. It was about 8 or 10 above the horizon when we observed it.

This rare phenomenon, during the fourteen days it continued visible, presented a most excellent opportunity for astronomical observations. Upon the sailors, usually so superst.i.tious, this splendid celestial visitor made a much less profound impression than we had antic.i.p.ated. But few were apprehensive that the end of the world was at hand, while the majority seemed quietly to indulge the pleasing antic.i.p.ation that the wine of the present year would be good and plentiful.

At last, on the 8th of October, we sighted the Solomon Islands. Some reefs which were said to lie a little to the north, adjoining Ontong-Java, we looked for in vain in the positions a.s.signed them on the charts. On the other hand we could see the lofty, forest-covered Carteret Island directly before us. Gower Island lay nearly due west, about four miles distant.

This flat low island, which also is not quite accurately laid down on the English chart, appears to be about eight miles long, the highest point of its ridge not exceeding 180 feet above the sea. Its S.E. and N.W. points, upon which beats a furious surf, extend a full half mile into the sea. We could nowhere perceive any huts of natives. Nevertheless it is highly probable, if the island is inhabited at all, that the population would have settled on the W. side, which is more sheltered against wind and weather.

From the hills on Carteret Island smoke was issuing at different points, but the natives did not put off in their boats, although on the afternoon of 8th October the frigate was becalmed off the land. When it was found that in consequence of the violence of the S.E. winds, which alternated with calms and N.E. squalls accompanied by rain, it would be impossible for us to pa.s.s through "Indispensable Straits," fringed as they are with coral reefs, it was resolved to range along the N.E. side of the entire chain of islands, so as to fetch the open pa.s.sage between San Christoval (the most south-easterly of the Solomon Islands) and the Nitendi group. We thus had to beat with much difficulty against a S.E. wind and a strong current, so that we barely made 15 miles a day.

On the 13th October, towards evening, we found ourselves about opposite the large mountainous island of Malata. This island presents fine richly-wooded mountain scenery, but without any traces of volcanic contours. The natives do not appear to dwell near the sh.o.r.e, but among the hills we could observe cleared spots and huts. Curiously enough the highest peak of the island, 3900 feet high, is named Kolowrat, a renowned Austrian name, although it could hardly have been an Austrian navigator who gave it to this mountain. Many others of these islands, however, have German names, though the majority indicate their discovery by the French navigators, Bougainville, Senville, and Dumont d'Urville, to whom the sea-faring world are indebted for their first acquaintance with this interesting group. During the afternoon a heavy blow came on from the S.S.E., upon which we put about and steered E. by S., but had hardly made the alteration, ere it came on to blow from N.N.E., with such fearful violence that the cross-jack-yard, which was already sprung, broke in two, and the sheet of the main try-sail gave way. It was the heaviest squall we encountered during the voyage. Fortunately the cross-jack-yard had as a precaution been firmly lashed, so that the two ends continued to hang in the air. Consequently what might have been a serious calamity was avoided, and the result of the accident was confined to the difficult task of disengaging the unwieldy shattered yard. Towards evening a heavy rain fell, and the wind went down. In the course of the profoundly calm night which followed, the current swept us so close in sh.o.r.e, that by morning we were not more than two or three miles distant. A few small boats with natives were about, which endeavoured to approach us, but only one of their number succeeded. These boats were not ordinary canoes, but regularly decked and deep-waisted boats, with high stem and stern, not unlike the boats in use at the Island of Madeira.

The one which came alongside was manned by five brownish-black men, perfectly naked, with thick crisp hair resembling a wig, which seemed to be stained red with ochre. By way of special adornment, some wore in their side hair a yellowish-red tuft, something like a ta.s.sel, and apparently made of strips of stained bast. One wore a wild boar's tooth in the tip of the ear, two others had small cylinders neatly carved out of mussel-sh.e.l.ls pa.s.sed through the nostrils, as well as rings of the same material around the upper arm and below the knee. When the boat had got within about a pistol shot from us, one of the natives rose, and in clear strong tones shouted to us some unintelligible words, while at the same time he pointed towards the land with very eager, energetic gestures. He seemed desirous of inviting us to come on sh.o.r.e and visit the islands. At the close of his address there arose those peculiar reverberating shouts, such as one would have expected rather to hear among the Styrian Alps than from a Papuan of the Solomon Islands! Upon this the rest of his companions rose likewise, and waving in their long arms a piece of tortoise-sh.e.l.l, they kept shrieking Matte-Matte! for an indefinite period. Not one of them knew a single word of English, nor could we make ourselves intelligible even with a vocabulary of the dialects used in the adjoining islands. Although distant in a direct line N.W. only 60 miles from Stewart's Island and its inhabitants, they spoke an entirely different idiom, and were likewise distinguished widely from any of the latter in colour, make, and physiognomy. Notwithstanding a repeated and pressing invitation to come on board, they could not be induced to mount the frigate's side, even by the most tempting promises, nor even by presents of linen-stuffs, tobacco, articles of clothing, &c. They seemed to have had but little intercourse with vessels. At length, on our repeated signs, they slowly and shyly came so near that we could throw a rope on board. The most courageous of their number planted his foot on the side rope, but made no attempt to proceed one step further. But we were by this means at all events able to examine these singular beings more closely. They all had oval faces, and broad, flat, long noses. Two were full-grown men, of tall powerful frame, while the rest seemed not above from fourteen to sixteen years old. None of them were tattooed, but the practice of anointing the body and the want of cleanliness left many coloured marks upon the skin. One of the lads had a sort of scaly eruption all over his skin. Beyond the pieces of tortoise-sh.e.l.l already mentioned, and the ornaments they wore upon their bodies, they had absolutely nothing in their boats, not even fruit or other natural products. They rowed a considerable distance after empty bottles which were pitched into the sea, and one of them seemed to attach such importance to the possession of these, that he plunged into the water to swim after them, and thus secure them the more readily.

Unfortunately our intercourse with these islanders of the Solomon group was confined to the little episode above related, and as a favourable breeze once more sprang up, we soon lost sight of these simple savages and their island. On this occasion the members of the Expedition were unanimously of opinion (which is not always the case in matters of personal impressions), that the inhabitants of Malata were the wildest, most uncivilized race of men we had as yet encountered in our voyaging to and fro round the globe.

During the night numerous watch-fires were visible on the peaks of the island. Were they lit for the protection of the slumbering inhabitants against the cold and damp of the night, or were they alarm signals for the entire population of the island, warning them against dangers that menaced them? If any apprehensions were entertained by the natives of Malata that we had visited their sh.o.r.es with hostile intent, they must have been of short duration, for the same wind which prevented our making Port Adam, wafted us the following morning--it was the 16th October, 1858--in sight of Sikayana.

FOOTNOTES:

[191] Occasionally called Bonabe, Bonibet, Funopet (by the French, Ascension). It lies in 6 58' N., and 158 20' E., and, with the two low atolls adjacent of Andema and Paphenemo (called by the English Ant's Island and Pakeen respectively) were named by their discoverer, Admiral Lutke, the Senjawin group, after the name of his ship.

[192] Captain Andrew Cheyne, of the English mercantile service, to whom the sea-faring world is indebted for a very complete and excellent account of the islands of the West Pacific, and who last visited Puynipet in 1846, reckoned the population of the island at that period at from 7000 to 8000.

See a description of islands in the Western Pacific Ocean, North and South of the Equator, with sailing Directions, &c. p. 94. London, J. D. Potter.

1852.--Sailing Directions from New South Wales to China and j.a.pan.

Compiled from the most Authentic Sources. By Andrew Cheyne, first Cla.s.s Master, Mercantile Navy. p. 136. London, J. D. Potter. 1855.

[193] The natives of the Engano Islands, to the west of Sumatra, use precisely similar instruments for the same purpose.

[194] Yaws is a very common disease among the lower cla.s.s of the western and eastern _coast_-population of England. It is unknown almost in Ireland, where the poorer cla.s.ses rarely eat fish.

[195] Captain Cheyne adds to the foregoing lists the following articles; fish-hooks, butcher's-knives, chisels, hand-saws, bill-hooks, planes, augers, piles, iron-pots, razors, needles, twine, drills, gay parti-coloured cotton cloths, cotton hose, woollen cloths, trinkets, gla.s.s beads, straw-hats, chests with lock, key, and handles, spirits. The equivalents as laid down by Captain Cheyne are as follows:--

12 hens = 24 sticks of negro-head tobacco, or 4 ells 100 yams = 10 " " " of calico.

100 bread-fruit = 10 " " "

100 cocoa-nuts = 10 " " "

1 cl.u.s.ter of bananas = 2 " " "

[196] Similar ruins are described by Captain Cheyne as having been also found in the forests of Nalan (Strong Island) in the Caroline Archipelago, 5 21' 30" N., 163 0' 42" E.

[197] From 1st October, 1856, upon which were marked all the improvements known up to 1857.

[198] Compare Captain Cheyne's sailing directions, p. 68: "Captain Simpson of Sydney reported to me in 1845, that a group of low coral islands, covered with cocoa-nut trees and inhabited, had been seen in 4 52' S., and 160 12' E. This may probably be the same group seen by Captain Wellings in 1824, which is laid down in Mr. Arrowsmith's chart in lat.i.tude 4 29' S., 159 28' E." It is matter of surprise in any case that considering the uncertainty which prevails as to the precise locality of the reef, its position on the English Admiralty Charts should not at least be marked _doubtful_.

[199] A. Cheyne--Sailing Directions from New South Wales to China and j.a.pan. London, 1855, page 68.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Barrier Reef and Atoll of Sikayana.]

XVII.

The Coral Island of Sikayana.

17th October, 1858.

Natives on board.--Good prospects of fresh provisions.--An interment on board.--A night scene.--Visit to the Island Group.-- Faole.--Voyage trip to Sikayana.--Narrative of an English sailor.--Cruelty of merchantmen in the South Sea Islands.-- Tradition as to the origin of the inhabitants of Sikayana.--A king.--Barter.--Religion of the natives.--Trepang.--Method of preparing this sea-slug for the Chinese market.--Dictionary of the native language.--Under sail.--Ile de Contrariete.--Stormy weather.--Spring a leak.--Bampton Reef.--Smoky Cape.--Arrival in Port Jackson, the harbour of Sydney.