230 THEIR SUSPICIOUS CONDUCT. 



the beach^ they treated us to what mig-ht have been 

 one of then- dances^ dividing' into two parties^ and 

 with wild pantomimic g-esture^ advancing* and re- 

 tiring-^ and g'oing' through the motion of throwing- 

 the spear^ with one or two of which each was pro- 

 vided. Even during* the heig'ht of the bartering* 

 very few of the natives had laid aside their w eapons^ 

 and it was evident that they were influenced by no 

 very friendly feeling* towards us^ and were g'lad to be 

 relieved of our presence. They had latterly become 

 more noisy than usual; and even insolent^ and I 

 believe that had we staid a little long*er; hostihties 

 would have commenced^ as they probably reg*arded 

 our forbearance to be the result of fear. 



"We landed on the opposite side of the island to 



g-ive me an opportunity of procuring* some specimens^ 



as it was judg-ed that our shooting* there would not 



annoy the inhabitants. The boat remained off at 



anchor while some of us strolled along the beach; 



g-etting* an occasional shot. Birds however were 



few. Among' those seen were the fishing*-eag*le; 



osprey^ and two smaller birds— all Australian. On 



the slope behind the beach we saw for the first time 



signs of cultivation^ — in a small plantation of bananas 



and yams. There was no fence^ but the ground had 



been partially cleared^ leaving* the stumps of the 



smaller trees and shrubs as posts for the yam plants 



(a Dioscorea with broad heart-shaped leaves) to 



train themselves upon. After a stay of nearly an 



horn*; we were moving down towards the boat; when 



