ASHORE AT 8:30 . STARTED OUT ALONG THE WEST SHORE ROAD . THE GOVERNORS HOUSE STANDS ON A LITTLE RIDGE OVERLOOKING THE TOWN . A LITTLE NATIVE HOUSE WITH METAL ROOF ON A STILL HIGHER RIDGE - THE SLEEPING MATS HUNG IN THE MORNING SUN , A BUNCH OF BANANAS HANGING AT THE CORNER OF THE PORCH , AND THE LADIES OF THE HOUSE , BARE TO THE WAIST + COMFORTABLY SEATED , LOOKING DOWN AT THE MORNING'S EXCITEMENT . STEEP HILLSIDES COVERED WITH THE ALL ENVELOPING TANGLE OF TREES WINEs , MOSSes , FERNS + GRASSES - A TANGLE FIT ONLY FOR A BOTANIST AND LIZARDS + BIRDS . THE LAND BIRDS WERE EXPERTS AT KEEPING OUT OF SIGHT ; A FEW GLIMPSES OF A GRAYISH-WHITE (?) BIRD - CATBIRD-LIKE ; A ROBIN-SIZED BLACK BIRD - WAS IT THE ONE MAKING THE WHISTLED NOTES ? ; A GREEN- ISH BIRD - FLICKER-SIZE . SHOREBIRDS SEEM TO BE ALL OF SPECIES - DRAB BROWNISH-GRAY ABOVE , LIGHTER BELOW + WITH YELLOWISH LEGS . ABOUT A MILE OUT OF TOWN PASSED AN OPEN- SIDED SAMOAN SCHOOL - CHILDREN SEATED ON FLOOR RECITING THEIR LESSONS IN UNISON . A LITTLE FURTHER ON A YOUNG GIRL CAME TOWARDS ROAD CALLING "YOU WANT PICTURE?" HER HANDS WERE AT SHOULDERS OF HER BLOUSE , AND THE OBVIOUS INTENTION WAS TO LOWER HER COLORS IF I WANTED HER PICTURE - AT A PRICE . NEXT A SMALL BROWN BOY , WITH RAGGED BLUE SHORTS + A STRAW HAT , CARRYING A FISHING POLE + A STRING OF FISH - HE CALLED THEM "PULO" . HE WAS USING A VERY SMALL HOOK WITH A WHITE FEATHER ATTACHED , + STILL WHIPPING THE WATER CLOSE TO SHORE . THE FISH WERE 4-5" LONG , STEEL BLUE ABOVE , LIGHTER BELOW , WITH A SCIMITAR- SHAPED TAILED , LATERALLY COMPRESSED . HE WALKED ALONG ON THE LAVA ROCKS WITH COMPLETE LACK OF CONCERN FOR THE SKIN OF HIS FEET . I COLLECTED SOME SAND SAMPLES FOR BILL DOWNIN - SAND IS CORAL . FINALLY REACHED OUTER HEADLANDS . THE SUN ON THE LINE OF SURF WAS BEAUTIFUL , CAME TO A YUTTING BLOCK THAT REACHED INTO INNER WAVE WASH ; STRIPPED DOWN TO MY SHORTS AND THEN TRAILED MY FEET IN THE GENTLE SURF ; FINALLY SLIPPED DOWN INTO THE SHALLOW WATER AND LET THE WAVES ROLL OVER ME . ANOTHER MAN HAD WALKED OUT FROM TOWN + WAS HOLLING IN THE WATER NEAR ME . WATER WARM - SURELY ABOUT 82° ! SUN WAS HIGH + HOT SO FINALLY SLIPPED INTO CLOTHES + FLAGGED