PIPER ISLES. 117 



islets^ situated on two reefs separated by a deep 

 channel. The laro-er of the two on the south-eastern 

 reef^ off which the ship hiy^ is about half a mile in 

 circumference. The trees are chiefly a kind of 

 Enjtlirina^ conspicuous from its lig'ht coloured trunk 

 and leafless branches; one of the most abundant 

 plants is a Cajyparis, with long' drooping* branches, 

 occasionally assisted by a Cissus and a 3Ielotria^ in 

 forming' small shady harbours. In the evening*^ 

 vast numbers of white pig'eons came over from the 

 mainland to roost^ and of course^ all the fowling*- 

 pieces were put in requisition. Some deep pits 

 dug' in the centre of the island were perfectly dr}^^ 

 and are probably so during* the latter half of the 

 dry season^ or after the month of July. On this 

 island we observed the remains of a small establish- 

 ment for curing* trepang* — a larg-e sea slug* found on 

 the reefs and in shoal water^ constituting* a valuable 

 article of commerce in the China market, where in a 

 dried state it fetches, according* to quality, from £5 

 to £200 a ton. This establishment had been put 

 up by the crew of a small vessel from Sydney, and 

 several such have at various times made vo3"ag*es 

 along* this coast and in Torres Strait, collecting* 

 trepang' and tortoiseshell, the latter procured from 

 the natives by barter. 



Sept. 2Sth, — On our way to the northward to- 

 day, we passed Young' Island, of King', which had 

 been previously examined in one of our boats, and 

 found to be merely a reef covered at hig*h water. 



