21st May 1898

SATURDAY

At 6 am an armed party went away and hoisted the Jack on the island Funuoloa about 10 miles distant, The natives of these Islands speak a different language of those of Santa Cruz although the distance is only 20 miles, they was very friendly laughing at anything they saw done on board like so many Big School Girls they would do anything you asked them to do, even to helping the men to wash their clothes, the swarmed round the ship from daylight to Sunset trading in the usual things,such as Chickens, Pigeons, Fruit & Shells you could get a chicken for two sticks of tobacco value of which was one penny taking all things one with another we got on very well with the natives and was beginning to get quite chummy with them.