Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 3.djvu/190

180 was about a foot high. It was shaded by such tropical trees as the betel, the nut of which was chewed, mixed with chenan [chinar?] leaf and lime, discoloring the teeth and mouth almost black,—and the chenan [chinar?] and cocoanut.

The woman of the island showed much curiosity as she looked at the men, and they were also rather struck by her appearance. Her finger nails had been allowed to grow to full length, some two or three inches. She was dressed in aprons, such as were made of the frayed kuriman leaf, the fibers being braided at the belt and falling in thick strings, much resembling a horse's mane, to the knees.

After satisfying her curiosity she returned to her house, and soon a young man appeared, coming out with the head of a hog, well roasted, and a calabash of water, which he set down on the platform. The meat looked extremely appetizing, but the sailors hardly knew what was expected, when one of them attracted the attention of the rest by exclaiming, "Look yonder;' then a very unexpected sight met their eyes.

This was nothing less than a little old man hastening, as fast as his short and now rather shriveled legs could carry him, toward the platform. He waddled along with a paddling motion like a duck. He was no more than five feet tall, tatooed, and his mouth was black from betel nut. He wore a breechcloth and carried a little basket, in which were shells, small pieces of bright stones, and trinkets, probably representing considerable value in island wealth.

The others yielded him right of way, and he came as near as possible to the platform, regarding the castaway