An Old Story.

Manawatu Herald, 18 May 1893, Page 3

An Old Story.

(Continued.) When the voyagers left New Zealand they made their way to the groups of island to the north, now known to us by name. The old chronicler says that during their residence at Anomoca, our " wooders " returned, by which he means the gapg sent to cut wood, almost blinded by the rains that fell from the fai-tanoo-trees (a species of pepper which yields a corrosive sap of a milky colour) and with blotches all over those parts of their bodies to which the rains happened to have access. It would appear from what is afterwards written that the Natives of these islands had, in those days at anyrate, very little believe in the advantage of honesty. Some developed an apptitude in pooket-picking that would put a London professional to the blush. One day one of the chiefs of Heiwa stole a steel-yard from Captain Clerk's cabin. On the same day as the captain walked with the crowd on. shore, his scissors, though our writer likes the spelling " scissars " better, were taken out of his pocket three different times, and as often replaced, when missed. On another occasion a native stole an axe from the ship, but was dis- . covered and fired at, •he merely dived, and got away with his booty. • Those natives were smart fellows any way, they were quite up to talking anything from a needle to an anohor. Whilst the ships were * moored, a party of them had un lashed the stream anohor, and were lowering it down into the canoe ; but being discovered in the act, paddled to shore and got clear off. At the same place the lieutenant of % Marines left all his bedding on shore after tne tents had been struck, and ij» ;waf all lost beyond recovery. The next morning the sailors had the pleasure of finding the long-boat Mwra&ped, and alHhe stern sheets, and several other article belonging tp.her missing. These were never recovered.