The land lifted up to several thousand feet. It had about it at intervals great grey clouds with flowing domes and flourishes of vapor described in them so that in the light of the moon it resembled the sullen land of Thor or Woden. What with the reputation that the Solomon Islands are given credit for as the home of all the poisonous insects, vicious tropical diseases, tiger sharks, scorpions, electric fish, fierce thunder storms, etc., the black photograph that spread out before us did little to dissipate the notions of evil that become associated with it. We entered the harbor of Tulagi and dropped anchor with half a gale blowing behind us, and I went to bed curious to see what the light of day would disclose. In the morning the illusion of pestilence and evil went sailing over the hills. The natives had already commenced to work the cargo and the wenchers were roaring above the hatches aft, with the shouts of the nigger stevedore bosses, finders and donkeymen echoing all over the wharf and through the shed which covered it. Hannibal and I walked ashore to the store of Burns, Philp and Co. and found out definitely that Beck had not been in Tulagi for over two months. We then commenced the day with the idea of finding out all about the town, the islands, the natives and the kind of life that the mixture of the three produced. The harbor of Tulagi is really divided into two parts, i.e., the town of Tulagi and the town of Makambo. At Makambo are the stores and warehouses of the Burns, Philp Co., and the houses or dormitories of the clerks. It consists of a small volcanic knoll covered with coconut palms under which the red roofed buildings of the company are situated. To the northeast of it is a large lagoon which, because it is seductive to the breezes of the monsoon, renders the locality perpetually cool at night during the southeast season.