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Toonewhoconceivesoftheseatolls，sonarrow，sobarren，sobesetwithsea，herewouldseemasuperfluityofghostlydenizens。
Andyettherearemore。Inthevariousbrackishpoolsandponds，beautifulwomenwithlongredhairareseentoriseandbathe；only(timidasmice)onthefirstsoundoffeetuponthecoraltheydiveagainforever。Theyareknowntobehealthyandharmlesslivingpeople，dwellersofanunderworld；andthesamefancyiscurrentinTahiti，wherealsotheyhavethehairred。TETEAistheTahitianname；thePaumotuan，MOKUREA。
PARTIII：THEGILBERTS
CHAPTERI-BUTARITARI
ATHonoluluwehadsaidfarewelltotheCASCOandtoCaptainOtis，andournextadventurewasmadeinchangedconditions。Passagewastakenformyself，mywife，Mr。Osbourne，andmyChinaboy，AhFu，onapigmytradingschooner，theEQUATOR，CaptainDennisReid；andonacertainbrightJunedayin1889，adornedintheHawaiianfashionwiththegarlandsofdeparture，wedrewoutofportandborewithafairwindforMicronesia。
ThewholeextentoftheSouthSeasisadesertofships；moreespeciallythatpartwherewewerenowtosail。Nopostrunsintheseislands；communicationisbyaccident；whereyoumayhavedesignedtogoisonething，whereyoushallbeabletoarriveanother。Itwasmyhope，forinstance，tohavereachedtheCarolines，andreturnedtothelightofdaybywayofManilaandtheChinaports；anditwasinSamoathatweweredestinedtore-
appearandbeoncemorerefreshedwiththesightofmountains。
SincethesunsetfadedfromthepeaksofOahusixmonthshadintervened，andwehadseennospotofearthsohighasanordinarycottage。Ourpathhadbeenstillontheflatsea，ourdwellingsuponunerectedcoral，ourdietfromthepickle-tuboroutoftins；
Ihadlearnedtowelcomeshark’sfleshforavariety；andamountain，anonion，anIrishpotatoorabeef-steak，hadbeenlonglosttosenseanddeartoaspiration。
Thetwochiefplacesofourstay，ButaritariandApemama，lieneartheline；thelatterwithinthirtymiles。Bothenjoyasuperboceanclimate，daysofblindingsunandbracingwind，nightsofaheavenlybrightness。BotharesomewhatwiderthanFakarava，measuringperhaps(atthewidest)aquarterofamilefrombeachtobeach。Inboth，acoarsekindofTAROthrives；itscultureisachiefbusinessofthenatives，andtheconsequentmoundsandditchesmakeminiaturesceneryandamusetheeye。Inallelsetheyshowthecustomaryfeaturesofanatoll：thelowhorizon，theexpanseofthelagoon，thesedge-likerimofpalm-tops，thesamenessandsmallnessoftheland，thehugelysuperiorsizeandinterestofseaandsky。Lifeonsuchislandsisinmanypointslikelifeonshipboard。Theatoll，liketheship，issoontakenforgranted；andtheislanders，liketheship’screw，becomesoonthecentreofattention。Theislesarepopulous，independent，seatsofkinglets，recentlycivilised，littlevisited。Inthelastdecademanychangeshavecreptin；womennolongergounclothedtillmarriage；thewidownolongersleepsatnightandgoesabroadbydaywiththeskullofherdeadhusband；and，fire-armsbeingintroduced，thespearandtheshark-toothswordaresoldforcuriosities。Tenyearsagoallthesethingsandpracticesweretobeseeninuse；yettenyearsmore，andtheoldsocietywillhaveentirelyvanished。Wecameinahappymomenttoseeitsinstitutionsstillerectand(inApemama)scarcedecayed。
Populousandindependent-warrensofmen，ruledoverwithsomerusticpomp-suchwasthefirstandstilltherecurringimpressionofthesetinylands。AswestoodacrossthelagoonforthetownofButaritari，astretchofthelowshorewasseentobecrowdedwiththebrownroofsofhouses；thoseofthepalaceandking’ssummerparlour(whichareofcorrugatediron)glitterednearoneendconspicuouslybright；theroyalcoloursflewhard
