From the last island we took on some passengers--two cats in an onion crate--and at this island exchanged them for a woman and a sickly baby. I was much amazed at seeing the mother spread a thick, dry mat on the wet deck for her own comfort, her baby being planted on the cold boards. I made her take it up and lay it beside her on the mat, which seemed to amuse her a great deal. As the baby still shivered, I got an old _lava-lava_ of Tin Jack's and wrapped it up in that, charging the mother not to dare remove the _lava-lava_.
This is the island where, in 1871, three slave-ships, the _Moroa_ (bark), _Eugenie_ (schooner), and a barkentine, name unknown, came for "recruits." The King, in his fright, offered them all his people except the very young, the very old, and a few young girls reserved for his harem. It is needless to say that his offer was accepted. I have since met and conversed with a man who was on board one of these ships.
_12th._--Arrived early this morning at Onoatoa. The missionary's child is named Painkiller.
_13th._--Noukanau in the morning. Met the German "labour" brig _Cito_, after recruits, doubtless for Samoa; then ran over to Piru and back again to Noukanau at night. At Piru we met the American schooner _Lizzie_ with two passengers.
At Piru came on board a man named Cameron, another named Briggs, and a person with an Italian name I forget. Briggs said he made much more money by "doctoring" than by trading. A strange disease, he told us, had broken out in the island; the Samoan wife of a trader had died the night before and many others were down with it. It is contagious, and the natives take no care to avoid infection. I said it was measles, which Briggs denied, declaring it was typhus. I asked him where he got his knowledge of "doctoring." "Straight from my father," said he; "my father was the celebrated Doctor Briggs, and if you buy a bottle of his patent medicine you can read an account of his life on the wrapper."
[Illustration: _Tom Day--a trader of Noukanau Island_]