This house is close to the landing-place, and in the midst of the
people. The owner of the first house offered to return the things, but
we thought it would not be ruinous to let him keep them, their English
value being about ten shillings.
We passed a tabooed place, or rather would have done so had we not been
forced to take a circuitous path to the bush. None of the natives spoke
as we passed the place, nor till we were clear of it; they made signs
also to us to be silent. A woman had died there lately, and the friends
were still mourning. There had been no dancing in the settlement since
the death, nor would there be any for some days to come.
I think women are more respected here than they are in some other heathen
lands. They seem to keep fast hold of their own possessions. A man
stole an ornament belonging to his wife, and sold it for hoop-iron on
board the _Bertha_. When he went ashore he was met on the beach by his
spouse, who had in the meantime missed her trinket; she assailed him with
tongue, stick, and stone, and demanded the hoop-iron.
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