plenty of lads and boys, no women. Some Tanna men in the group, with
their faces painted red and black, hair (as you know) elaborately
frizzled and dressed with coral lime. The Futuma people speak a
different language from those of Anaiteum, and the Tanna people speak
a third (having, moreover, four dialects of their own). These three
islands are all in sight of each other. Tanna has an active volcano,
now smoking away, and is like a hot-bed, wonderfully fertile. People
estimate its population at 10,000, though it is not very large,--
about thirty miles long. At Futuma, the process by which these coral
islands have been upheaved is well seen. The volcanic rocks are
lying under the coral, which has been gradually thrust upwards by
them. As the coral emerged, the animal went on building under water,
continually working lower and lower down upon and over the volcanic
formation, as this heaved in its upward course the coral formation
out of the sea.'

Erromango was occupied by the Scottish Mission, and Mr. Gordon was
then living there in peace and apparent security, when a visit was
paid to him, and Patteson gathered some leaves in Dillon's Bay, the
spot where John Williams met his death sixteen years before, not, as
now was understood, because he was personally disliked, but because
he was unconsciously interfering with a solemnity that was going on
upon the beach.

At Fate Isle, the people were said to be among the wildest in those
seas. When the 'Royal Sovereign' was wrecked, they had killed the
whole crew, nineteen in number, eaten ten at once, and sent the other
nine as presents to their friends. Very few appeared, but there was
a good 'opening' exchange of presents.