It Appears To Consist Almost Entirely
Of Raised Coral, Whereas The Northern Island Contains Hard
Crystalline Rocks.
The shores were a range of low limestone
cliffs, worn out by the water, so that the upper part generally
overhung.
At distant intervals were little coves and openings,
where small streams came down from the interior; and in one of
these we landed, pulling our boat up on a patch of white sandy
beach. Immediately above was a large newly-made plantation of
yams and plantains, and a small hot, which the chief said we
might have the use of, if it would do for me. It was quite a
dwarf's house, just eight feet square, raised on posts so that
the floor was four and a half feet above the ground, and the
highest part of the ridge only five feet above the flour. As I am
six feet and an inch in my stockings, I looked at this with some
dismay; but finding that the other houses were much further from
water, were dreadfully dirty, and were crowded with people, I at
once accepted the little one, and determined to make the best of
it. At first I thought of taking out the floor, which would leave
it high enough to walk in and out without stooping; but then
there would not be room enough, so I left it just as it was, had
it thoroughly cleaned out, and brought up my baggage. The upper
story I used for sleeping in, and for a store-room. In the lower
part (which was quite open all round) I fixed up a small table,
arranged my boxes, put up hanging-shelves, laid a mat on the
ground with my wicker-chair upon it, hung up another mat on the
windward side, and then found that, by bending double and
carefully creeping in, I could sit on my chair with my head just
clear of the ceiling. Here I lived pretty comfortably for six
weeks, taking all my meals and doing all my work at my little
table, to and from which I had to creep in a semi-horizontal
position a dozen times a day; and, after a few severe knocks on
the head by suddenly rising from my chair, learnt to accommodate
myself to circumstances. We put up a little sloping cooking-but
outside, and a bench on which my lads could skin their birds. At
night I went up to my little loft, they spread their mats on the,
floor below, and we none of us grumbled at our lodgings.
My first business was to send for the men who were accustomed to
catch the Birds of Paradise. Several came, and I showed them my
hatchets, beads, knives, and handkerchiefs; and explained to
them, as well as I could by signs, the price I would give for
fresh-killed specimens. It is the universal custom to pay for
everything in advance; but only one man ventured on this occasion
to take goods to the value of two birds.
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