A TRIP TO THE SOUTH SEAS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 133, 5 June 1907, Page 6

A TRIP TO THE SOUTH SEAS.

(All Rigtts Eeaerrca.)

(BY REV. p. STUBBS.) "To THE ISLANDS OF IHE BLEST." 3 iff Bblp as !1e *>■«» If""* _loolang at the fishes," as we used plavlully to say. I never laugh now. Much as has been written on the subject, seasickness is simply indescribable. It seems as though every organ of your body must be displaced by the violent retching, and one wonders where all the nauseous matter can possibly come from. But I will not pursue the doleful subject, except to remark in parting that no man knows the extent of Ms resources until he is sick at sea!

We left Auckland on April 30 with a considerable list to starboard. This list could not, of course, affect the safety of the vessel except in extremely bad weatber, such as is not likely to" be encountered at this time of tin? year; but it is at least inconvenient, as it niake= walking the decks somewhat difficult, and even dangerous. It is caused by the unequal stowage of the coal, and to are all glad ■when, after the third day out, the ship sails on a more even keel. The weather, too, gradually improves, and during the last two days we sail over glassy seas, in beautiful, warm ■weather, and cabin ■trunks n.m ransacked for the lightest clothing we can find. Now, too, we discover how full the passenger list is. and faces appear at table and on deck for the first time since leaving port. With three exceptions, all are cabin pass3ngers, which is somewhat surprising, for on the island boats the second-class accommodation is excellent, and. a party of friends -wishing for an economical holiday might do worse than take second-class return tickets and spend a month in going round these islands. The expense would not be great, and would afford a novel and enjoyable ■winter holiday.

We have not seen a single sail since we started, which makes one realise the vastness and loneliness of the deep, and, ■with the exception of the Albatross and Molyhawk, we have seen no life. How long might a boat drift about in these solitudes before being sighted! It is not a pleasant reflection, and one is thankful to recollect that the Navua has two propeller?. One of these days she will have wireless telegraphy, too.

On looking round the dining saloon, one i≤ at first startled to see' so many grey Leads. Not many young people are here. Most, like myself, have come because they are weary, and crave for rest. And in taking this" trip at this s?ason of the year they have been well advised, for a more restful one can bardly be imagined, and there is just enough variety afforded, by the stoppages at ths various ports to prevent monotony. At length, early on Sunday morning, 'we reach Nukualofa, the principal town in the Tongan group, and the seat of government. We do not go alongside the wharf, for the laws of Tonga do not permit of any work being done on the Sabbath, and no,native labour is available cither to work tile "cargo or remove pasgers' luggage', and so we anchor a few chains from the shore until Monday morning. On landing from the ship's boat one is surprised to find so excellent a wharf. It has only been completed a few'months, and is built of reinforced concrete. It is 200 ft long S 40/ and so far has given great satisfaction. Having been built mainly by prison labour, it cost only £S6OO, and is paying handsomely. Nukualofa, the capital of Tonga ?Tabu (Sacred Tonga), the largest and most important of the Tonga, or Friendly, Islan.ls. has a population of ISBS (including about 100 whites), and is a decidedly pretty town. W T e see only a small" portion of it from the beach, for most of the houses are hidden by the abounding foliage. It has, indeed, the appearance of a large village rather than that of a town in the European sense. The roads are all green with "rass, as in an ancient English village; ! fairly wide, and running at right ancle? with each other. On either side are trees and shrubs, with here and there a house nestling amongst the ioliaee. The houses are all detached, each."standing within its own grounds, and are generally at a considerable distance from each other, with cocoanut palms, banana trees, etc, between. The older native houses are "built of reeds, nicely woven, and thatched with susrar cane leaf. They have no windoTvs, and as a rule form one apartment, in which all the family eat, sleep, and work. The newer houses are built of or concrete, and roofed ■with iron. The. floors are formed of <-lav or sand, covered with dried cocoanut leaves overlaid with mats, and are as thick and soft to the tread as the tinest Turkey carpet. There are no t-bairs, tables, or bedsteads—little furniture, indeed, of any description, for b'ttle is required. When the native wishes to sit, he squats cross-legged upon the floor; when he wishes to sleep, he simply lies down upon the thicklymatted floor, and rolls himself in a large mat. or piece of tappa (native cloth), until he is completely enveloped from head to foot. His pillow is A piece of hollowed wood. As for his cooking utensils, they are of the simplest description, and are generally kept outside, where the preparation of food takes place. At first sight a native hut strikes one as being dark, bare, and poverty-stricken, but there are compensations. The absence of windows makes the house cooler, which is no inconsiderable advantage in this warm l climate, and there are almost invariably four open doorways to ventilate and create a refreshing draught. As for the , absence of furniture, why should the Tongans lumber up their houses, as we do (ours, with 1 articles they do not need? Labour and expense are both saved, and to fit up their dwellings in the European fashion would be no advantage, but) the contrary. In a cold country like ours, no doubt more furniture is required, but even -here a great deal of labour and expense might well be saved by doing away vritn useless articles. We fili our rooms with fancy chairs that afford no comfort; with tables so crowded with nie-nacks that one cannot even put one's hat down; and then complain that housekeeping is so expensive and laborious. The Tongan native, on the contrary; eschews all urieeessary expense and labour, and so lives a life of glorious ease.

On the beach, the long, spacious. grassy thoroughfare that fronts the ocean, there arc the Government Buildings and principal stores., Whilst behind these Iho town extends ]ibi~ a milo in-

ber of fishing boats, and a schooner which has just returned from a tradin" trip. It requires no . little knowledge and skill to sail in these seas., for the islands are -many, each surrounded by a coral reef, and woe to ifte vessel that gets aground.

The Tongan' natives are a fine race of people; tall, erect and muscular, with brown skins, and intelligent, goodnatured countenances. I think they are an even finer-looking race than the Maoris —more «rect and leas corpulent. The women especially have fine figures, the finest, I think. I have ever seen—and a remarkably upright, dignified carriage. No one that has seen a Tongan womaa walk up the street could ever forget it. Xo matter how stout she may be, or how old (with limitations), she walks with head erect, shoulders squared, chest thrown out to the utmost. Some people call it the "Tongan swagger," but there is nothing impudent about it. The men are equally upright In their bearing, but with less of stiffness. The faces of the younger women are sometimes very pretty, with fairly regular features, clear dark eyes, and an abundance of black hair, but the eyes lack the gentleness and liquidity that is so charming in the Maori wahine. The older women, as is the ease I think with all native races, fail to retain their good looks as European ladies frequently do. and are usually thin and somewhat haggard in appearance. They wear the hair short, and frequently bleach it with lime to a reddish' yellow. The same custom of bleaching is practised by the men also, both old and young, and has not on the whole an unpleasing effect. The principal reason for the good looks and upright carriage of the Tongans is undoubtedly that they do not work hard. They do not know what it is to bend over spade or shovel for hours every day as millions of Europeans do. They sometimes work but never toil. The women especially have a good time, for the men have never made their wives beasts of burden, as most other races have done. They say that it makes their women ugly to work all day in the sun, and they prefer them to be good-looking! (To be continued.) (COPYRIGHT RESERVED.)