Page:Twenty years before the mast - Charles Erskine, 1896.djvu/87

 Peacock Island, we bore away for Metia, or  Aurora Island, and made it on the 9th of September. This was one of the high coral islands, and was totally different from any we had fallen in with. It looked as if it had risen up out of the sea. By our survey we found it to be two hundred and fifty feet high. We took a cast of the lead one hundred and fifty feet from its perpendicular cliffs, and found no bottom with one hundred  and fifty fathoms of line. On landing we were soon surrounded by the natives, men, women, and children,  of all ages, and dressed after the fashion of all nations. They seemed delighted to see us. They gathered round and stared at us just the same as we would at a tribe of  Indians walking on our public streets. The young ladies seemed to be dressed in their holiday attire. They had oiled themselves with stale cocoanut oil, which gave them a bright orange look. This oiling process is to keep off the numerous flies, for they dislike the smell of  rancid oil. The young women’s heads were adorned with many and gay flowers. On the island we found several refreshing springs. There were also plenty of pigs and hens. Here grow the yam, the taro, the breadfruit, and the cocoanut. The coral reefs are alive with a variety of pan fish and crabs. There was an abundance of large, green "bottle" flies, whose bite is very poisonous. Seeing that the natives had no war-clubs, we inquired for them. They said it used to be all war, but now it was all peace, "mittionari mai-tai, mai-tai,"  meaning "missionary, good, good "; and that they had  no use for clubs or spears now.

At six o’clock, the surveying boats having returned,