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was busily engaged rummaging the deserted houses, in one of which he found a bag containing something bulky. His curiosity was excited, and anxious to satisfy it, he explored the contents, which to his surprise was nothing less than a preserved human skull: whether native or European could not be decided, though probably it was that of some unfortunate mariThe tide having ebbed considerably since I anchored here, the boats with Rathea and Bushart were some distance from the beach, which prevented me from putting questions that I wished to the chief respecting M. Chaigneau's discovery.

ner.

Just as I was on the point of wading to the boats I espied a man at some distance on the beach sweating under a bulky load, which on his nearer approach I discovered to be a copper boiler capable of containing fifteen or twenty gallons. This, together with the other things I purchased, had been taken I was told from the reefs whereon the ships were wrecked.

The day being far spent, I embarked at 3 P.M. and sailed from Amma, hoping to reach Paiow before night. The village I quitted is situated on the west point or cape of Mannicolo: the land here is moderately high, and abounding with cocoa-nut trees. To this cape I gave the name of Cape Palmer, out of respect to Mr. John Palmer, of the firm of Palmer and Co., Calcutta. About

half way between Amma and Paiow there is a river of moderate size, in which our boats anchored on the first night after they left the ship to circumnavigate the island. I named this river after M. Chaigneau, the French agent. The high mountain on Mannicola I have named King Charles the Tenth's mountain, in honour of the reigning monarch of France.

As we proceeded toward Paiow the land had a continued and gradual declivity from Charles the Tenth's mountain down to the sea, and was much lower than the land on the east, north-east, and north sides of the island. It was nevertheless equally well wooded, there not being a quarter of an acre of clear ground on the whole coast. I found the channel between the shore and the reefs from one and a half to two miles broad, with numerous small coral banks scattered in every direction, having from twenty-five to thirtythree fathoms water close alongside of their edges. There was however plenty of room and water to work a ship by keeping a good look-out at the mast-head.

At 5 P.M. we passed a cape which forms the west head of Paiow Bay, and which I named Cape Maloney, after Mr. E. S. Maloney, acting principal secretray to the Government at Calcutta during the absence of Mr. Chief Secretary Lushington. The east cape of Paiow Bay I called Cape Paiow, and the small river which

empties itself into this bay about midway between Capes Maloney and Paiow, I named Russell River, after Mr. Russell, draughtsman to the expedition.

At 5 P.M. we entered Russell's River, on the bank of which some canoes were lying, and about thirty or forty of the Amma people were assembled, having come hither on a fishing and planting excursion. I landed on the west bank, and made the islanders some presents of beads, cutlery, &c. who in return presented me with some cooked tara, tara pudding, baked turtle, and a broiled fish.

I informed them, through my interpreter, that I intended sleeping in their river that night, when they very considerately offered me a part of the spirit-house for the accommodation of myself and crew: a proffer which, however kindly intended, prudence induced me to de cline. This I did with many thanks. I inquired of them in what part of the neighbourhood the wrecked people had built the small ship in which they sailed from hence. Some of the old men pointed to a hollow in the west bank of the river, assuring me that was the place. This hollow might be fifty fathoms on the left hand within the river's mouth, and from the general appear ance of the country there exists the greatest probability of the truth of this information. Except this solitary spot, which was clear from

the sea-side, the whole prospect on the coast presented to view an uninterrupted forest and impervious underwood. The clear space extended about seventy fathoms in a north and south direction along the bank of the river, and perhaps one hundred and twenty fathoms east and west along the head of the bay.

The coast of Mannicolo is encompassed in most places with a coral reef projecting from a quarter to half a mile off, which is dry in most places from half ebb to half flood, so that it would be difficult to launch a vessel in any other part of the south-west and west sides of it but Paiow. I am therefore of opinion, that the piece of ground which the vessel is said by the islanders to have been built upon was cleared by the shipwrecked people, and that the vessel was launched from the hollow place shewn me into Russell's River, which has nine feet water in it on spring tides, and that from thence it was removed into Paiow Bay, which could be effected in a few minutes, either by towing, tracking, or rowing, where at ebb tide, at the river's mouth, this bay has from one to twenty fathoms water in it.

The tea-kettle was boiled, we supped at dusk, and anchored in the middle of the river. Martin Bushart, Rathea, and the Whannow man went on shore to sleep, while we spread our sails over the boat's masts, thus forming a kind of tent. It was however insufficient to defend us from

the rain, which fell in torrents, and the musquitoes, which assailed us in myriads, effectually driving away sleep, which we stood much in need of after the previous day's toil.

Oct. 1st.-The day set in with a strong gale and rain, which continued without intermission till evening.

At break of day I ordered the boats out of the river into Paiow Bay, at which time I observed two canoes come out, set sail, and steer for the reef in a south-west direction, distant from here one mile and a-half or two miles. Shortly after Martin Bushart, Rathea, and the Whannow man joined the boats, and with a view to explore the reef more completely, I divided the provisions and liquor with Mr. Russell, directing him to proceed with two of the boats out to the reef, and where he found it dry or with little water, to land some of his people, and examine those parts with the utmost minuteness for remnants of the wrecks. There were also some large rocks on the reef, considerably elevated above the surface of the water, which I directed him to search in every nook and cavity, for inscriptions that might have been cut on them. He had also instructions to explore the reef for any passage leading into the open sea, as I wished to ascertain by what opening the small vessel built here had put to sea; and then to continue his survey from the part

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