PELICAN ISLAND. 113 



of marines close at hand prevented the loss of 

 life on our part. 



Aug. 2Sfh, — After a run of 45 miles^ we reached 

 Pelican Island^ the survey of the space thus rapidly 

 g-one over being- left to Lieutenant Yule and the 

 Bramble. The island is rather more than a quarter 

 of a mile in lengthy with a large reef to wind- 

 ward 5 it is low and sandy^ covered with coarse 

 g'rass^ and a bushy yellow-flowered Sida. Great 

 numbers of birds frequent this place ; of these the 

 pelicans {Pelecanus conspicillatus) are the most 

 remarkable^ but^ incubation having* ceased^ they 

 were so wary that it was not without some trouble 

 that two were killed out of probably a hundred or 

 more. A pair of sea-eag-les had their nest here^ 

 placed on a low bush^ an anomaly in the habits of the 

 bird to be accounted for by the disappearance of the 

 ^^two clumps of trees/' mentioned by King' as 

 formerly existing* on the island^ and the unwillino-- 

 ness of the birds to abandon the place. The shell 

 collectors picked up nothing of consequence^ but the 

 sportsmen met with great success. On the 29th^ 

 about twenty brace of quail and as many land-rail 

 were shot, in addition to manv oyster-catchers, 

 plovers^ godwits^ and sand-pipers. Shooting* for the 

 pot is engaged in with a degree of eag-erness 

 commensurate with its importance^ now that our live 

 stock has been exhausted^ and we have little besides 

 ship's provisions to live upon. Three turtle^ averag*- 

 ing 250 pounds weighty were caught by a party sent 



VOL. I. I 



