This rare phenomenon, during the fourteen days it continued visible, presented a most excellent opportunity for astronomical observations. Upon the sailors, usually so superstitious, this splendid celestial visitor made a much less profound impression than we had anticipated. But few were apprehensive that the end of the world was at hand, while
the majority seemed quietly to indulge the pleasing anticipation that the wine of the present year would be good and plentiful.
At last, on the 8th of October, we sighted the Solomon Islands. Some reefs which were said to lie a little to the north, adjoining Ontong-Java, we looked for in vain in the positions assigned them on the charts. On the other hand we could see the lofty, forest-covered Carteret Island directly before us. Gower Island lay nearly due west, about four miles distant. This flat low island, which also is not quite accurately laid down on the English chart, appears to be about eight miles long, the highest point of its ridge not exceeding 180 feet above the sea. Its S.E. and N.W. points, upon which beats a furious surf, extend a full half mile into the sea. We could nowhere perceive any huts of natives. Nevertheless it is highly probable, if the island is inhabited at all, that the population would have settled on the W. side, which is more sheltered against wind and weather.
From the hills on Carteret Island smoke was issuing at different points, but the natives did not put off in their boats, although on the afternoon of 8th October the frigate was becalmed off the land. When it was found that in consequence of the violence of the S.E. winds, which alternated with calms and N.E. squalls accompanied by rain, it would be impossible for us to pass through "Indispensable Straits," fringed as they are with coral reefs, it was resolved to range along the N.E. side of the entire chain of islands,
so as to fetch the open passage between San Christoval (the most south-easterly of the Solomon Islands) and the Nitendi group. We thus had to beat with much difficulty against a S.E. wind and a strong current, so that we barely made 15 miles a day.
On the 13th October, towards evening, we found ourselves about opposite the large mountainous island of Malaýta. This island presents fine richly-wooded mountain scenery, but without any traces of volcanic contours. The natives do not appear to dwell near the shore, but among the hills we could observe cleared spots and huts. Curiously enough the highest peak of the island, 3900 feet high, is named Kolowrat, a renowned Austrian name, although it could hardly have been an Austrian navigator who gave it to this mountain. Many others of these islands, however, have German names, though the majority indicate their discovery by the French navigators, Bougainville, Senville, and Dumont d'Urville, to whom the sea-faring world are indebted for their first acquaintance with this interesting group. During the afternoon a heavy blow came on from the S.S.E., upon which we put about and steered E. by S., but had hardly made the alteration, ere it came on to blow from N.N.E., with such fearful violence that the cross-jack-yard, which was already sprung, broke in two, and the sheet of the main try-sail gave way. It was the heaviest squall we encountered during the voyage. Fortunately the cross-jack-yard had as a precaution been firmly lashed, so that the two ends continued to hang
in the air. Consequently what might have been a serious calamity was avoided, and the result of the accident was confined to the difficult task of disengaging the unwieldy shattered yard. Towards evening a heavy rain fell, and the wind went down. In the course of the profoundly calm night which followed, the current swept us so close in shore, that by morning we were not more than two or three miles distant. A few small boats with natives were about, which endeavoured to approach us, but only one of their number succeeded. These boats were not ordinary canoes, but regularly decked and deep-waisted boats, with high stem and stern, not unlike the boats in use at the Island of Madeira.
The one which came alongside was manned by five brownish-black men, perfectly naked, with thick crisp hair resembling a wig, which seemed to be stained red with ochre. By way of special adornment, some wore in their side hair a yellowish-red tuft, something like a tassel, and apparently made of strips of stained bast. One wore a wild boar's tooth in the tip of the ear, two others had small cylinders neatly carved out of mussel-shells passed through the nostrils, as well as rings of the same material around the upper arm and below the knee. When the boat had got within about a pistol shot from us, one of the natives rose, and in clear strong tones shouted to us some unintelligible words, while at the same time he pointed towards the land with very eager, energetic gestures. He seemed desirous of
inviting us to come on shore and visit the islands. At the close of his address there arose those peculiar reverberating shouts, such as one would have expected rather to hear among the Styrian Alps than from a Papuan of the Solomon Islands! Upon this the rest of his companions rose likewise, and waving in their long arms a piece of tortoise-shell, they kept shrieking Matté-Matté! for an indefinite period. Not one of them knew a single word of English, nor could we make ourselves intelligible even with a vocabulary of the dialects used in the adjoining islands. Although distant in a direct line N.W. only 60 miles from Stewart's Island and its inhabitants, they spoke an entirely different idiom, and were likewise distinguished widely from any of the latter in colour, make, and physiognomy. Notwithstanding a repeated and pressing invitation to come on board, they could not be induced to mount the frigate's side, even by the most tempting promises, nor even by presents of linen-stuffs, tobacco, articles of clothing, &c. They seemed to have had but little intercourse with vessels. At length, on our repeated signs, they slowly and shyly came so near that we could throw a rope on board. The most courageous of their number planted his foot on the side rope, but made no attempt to proceed one step further. But we were by this means at all events able to examine these singular beings more closely. They all had oval faces, and broad, flat, long noses. Two were full-grown men, of tall powerful frame, while the rest seemed not above from fourteen to sixteen
years old. None of them were tattooed, but the practice of anointing the body and the want of cleanliness left many coloured marks upon the skin. One of the lads had a sort of scaly eruption all over his skin. Beyond the pieces of tortoise-shell already mentioned, and the ornaments they wore upon their bodies, they had absolutely nothing in their boats, not even fruit or other natural products. They rowed a considerable distance after empty bottles which were pitched into the sea, and one of them seemed to attach such importance to the possession of these, that he plunged into the water to swim after them, and thus secure them the more readily.