caught a turtle with a new net. They shewed me an oven in which they had baked the turtle, and expatiated on its excellence in a strain that would do credit to the most turtle-loving alderman in London; the flesh (they said) was delicious, and the shell most useful to them in making ear-rings. They then pointed to four large bundles of bananas hanging up, and a quantity of tara ready scraped for pudding, and invited us to remain and partake of the feast to be given to the gods by the owner of the turtle net, for the success they had bestowed upon the new net. I declined their hospitable invitation, saying that I had a long way to go before night, and requested them to bring what things they had procured from the ship wrecked at Paiow, for which I would give a good price.

Some men were immediately despatched for the articles, and in the mean time I gave them to understand that Stewart (the young man already mentioned) wished to remain among them. Much pleased at this information, they promised to treat him kindly until my return, demanding where the ship would then anchor? I told them, " off their village :" at which an universal shout was sent up, which I thought would have shattered the roof of their town-hall.

Their transports being somewhat moderated, they commented on my intention, and with a view to confirm me in it, had recourse to

backbiting their neighbours, the inhabitants of Davey, near whose town we now lay, supposing that by disparaging their character, they would elevate their own in our estimation.

The men by this time again entered the spirithouse with the undermentioned articles, which I bought, viz. the elbow of a ship's large iron knee, a broken hand-hammer, a piece of iron bolt, a small turned globular wooden vessel, the bottom of a silver or plated candlestick with a coat of arms engraved on it, which some of us think are those of the Count de la Pérouse.

The fortunate owner of the turtle-net then conducted me to his house, where the entertainment was preparing, and pulled from the fireside a thick sheet of copper, measuring 3 feet 4 inches, by 3 feet 4 inches, in excellent preservation, for which I gave him a large axe. He was earnestly entreated by one of his wives not to sell it to me, but the sight of a large axe was too strong a temptation to be resisted.

In the centre of all the houses I entered there was a fire-place about eight feet square, with a post at each corner supporting a bamboo hurdle, which served as a repository for their cooking utensils, and as a drying-place for their fishinglines. Here also they place their bags or haversacks, with which they are invariably provided when travelling, and which will contain a bushel of grain. On the side of the house opposite to

the door by which I entered was a string with the heads of several turtles on it; all appearing old and stale except one, which no doubt was the head of that caught yesterday.

Having quitted this house, I proceeded to the beach in order to re-embark, where I was waited for by a number of women and children, among whom I distributed some beads and fishhooks. Here I observed one woman whom I could by no means entice to approach me; the cause of which I found to be that a cancer had nearly eaten away the poor creature's face, which made her delicate to approach, lest the sight should disgust me.

Half an hour after noon we directed our course S.W. along the coast from Whannow to Amma, being accompanied by a man from the town we had just quitted, who favoured Rathea with his company, and at half-past one reached Amma, but could see no people. It seemed by the Whannow man's account, that all the inhabitants had gone to Paiow on a fishing excursion. Soon after this two people appeared on the beach, who gave the alarm, and about twelve or fifteen others came forth.

Being in want of water, two men from each boat landed with the water-kegs, and went up to the nearest house. On passing it, one of our people called out in Spanish, "Here is a fleurde-lis;" which M. Chaigneau and I, who fol

lowed and understood him, desired him to point out. He directed our attention to the door of a house, where we saw at the bottom of the threshold a decayed piece of fir or pine plank, with a fleur-de-lis and other ornamental work upon it. It had probably formed part of a ship's stern, and when complete exhibited the national arms of France. Its length was 4 feet and an inch, breadth 13 inches. It was placed upon its edge to barricade the passage, for the double purpose of keeping the pigs out and the children in the house.

The inhabitants of the village being absent, I sent to seek for some person who would sell me this relic, and soon found a chief of some consequence, who in the absence of his neighbours was willing to act for them. When he appeared, I pointed to the relic at the door; he to a hatchet in my hand. We mutually understood each other, exchanged properties, and I sent my prize in haste to the boats; the islander no doubt considering me an arrant fool for so easily parting with my treasure.

One of the officers shortly after informed me that he saw a grinding-stone of European manufacture lying by the door of one of the native houses, whither I followed him, and found a small mill-stone, such as is used for grinding grain in the north of Ireland and the highlands of Scotland. On turning it over it broke. Its

diameter was 2 feet 1 inches, and in the centre was a circular hole of about eight inches in diameter on the upper, and four inches on the lower surface, the hole being somewhat of the central part of a conic excavation. It had three other holes on its surface, intended for the spindle and handle, one of which had a piece of iron fastened on it by means of lead; the other two were filled with that metal. The account published by the French Government, respecting the expedition fitted out under la Pérouse, states that his dry provisions were shipped in kiln-dried grain, with several pairs of grindingstones to prepare the same as wanted; which description of stones seem to correspond so exactly with the one above-mentioned as to form a strong link in the chain of circumstances that go to fix the identity of the ships lost at Mannicolo. The village broker agreed to give up this stone to me for one adze, which, together with the following articles purchased from him, I shipped without delay.

1 copper link, with two handles.-2 large mawls or sledges, for the use of a carpenter or blacksmith.-1 hook for a tackleblock.-1 iron staple.-1 piece of a port-hinge.-1 ditto of flat iron, with a screw-thread cut in it.-1 boat's pintle, much corroded by rust.-1 spike-nail.-2 pieces of iron grating. 11 ditto iron bolts of various descriptions and sizes. -2 ditto very thick china-ware, supposed to be part of a tureen-bottom.

While I was thus trafficking, M. Chaigneau