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THE POLYNESIAN RACES. 37
part. Consecrated ^oves, and sacred spots, are common
among them. Their desolate cemeteries are in waving groves
of cocoanut trees ; and weird-shaped paddles lift their blades
for tombstones. They are evidently of Japanese extraction.
THE SA3I0ANS, OR NAVIGATORS.
These very important islands, a sort of half-way steamship
house in
the Pacific, for recruiting, repairing, and re-provisioning,
lie between latitudes loh° and 14i° south, and about
170° west longitude. Our captain made a short call at this
group, — nine in number, — too short for
our individual purpose.
They are volcanic in origin, safe to approach, and
partially belted with coral reefs. Pago-Pago is a deep, landlocked
harbor on the south side of Tutuila. Upolu is the
most thickl}^ populated, containing twenty thousand inhabitants.
Our gentlemanly commander, J. H. Blethen, had
permitted us to study his maps and charts of this denselywooded
group of isles — gems of the ocean — before reacjiing
them.
The afternoon approach was too grand and gorgeous
for the pen to paint. The sea was a polished mirror ; the sky,
glass ; the sun, well adown the western spaces, gold ; and
the scattering clouds, crimson and purple, were chariots of
fire.
The steam checked, and the vessel at rest, the natives
flocked to us like birds to a banquet.
Physically, they are a
splendidly-made race, with full, high foreheads, wavy beards,
and white, exquisitely-set teeth. They are light in color,
and quick in motion. They have dark-brown hair, eyes
black and expressive. The occasional reddish hair seen had
been bleached. Honest and trusting, they are evidently of
Indo-Malayan origin.
The women are well-formed, healthy, handsome, and, what
is more, are famed for their chastity. Both men and women
go as naked as new-born babes, except weirdly-woven leaves
and sea-grass aprons around their loins. Our passengers
bought of them war-clubs, fans, fruits, head-gearings, birds,