232 FORM VOCABULARY. 



of the rest remained on the beach until after our 

 departure. 



We did not afterwards land upon Brierly Island^ 

 so I may conclude with a short description. It is 

 not more than half a mile in lengthy with a central 

 ridge attaining' the heig'ht of 347 feet^ and sloping" 

 downwards at each end. It is well wooded with 

 low trees and brushwood^ and mixed up wdth them 

 there is a profusion of cocoa-palms scattered about 

 in clumps^ from the margin of the beach to the 

 shoulders of the hill ; long- coarse g*rass^ at this time 

 of a beautiful lig'ht g'reen tint_, covered the re- 

 mainder. The usual fringing* coral reef surrounds 

 the island^ running* off to a g*reat distance in one 

 direction. The gTeater part of the shore and the 

 projecting* points are rock}^ (where the soft splintery 

 mica slate has been exposed)^ with occasional sandy 

 beaches. We saw no fresh water^ but the de- 

 chvities here and there shewed deep furrows in 

 the red clayey soil; the effects of torrents after heavy 

 rains. 



To-day and yesterday I obtained in all about 

 130 words of the lang'uag'e of the Brierly Island 

 people. The small vocabulary thus formed^ the 

 first ever obtained in the Louisiade Archipelag^o^ 

 leads to some interesting* results^ and fills up one 

 of the gaps in the chain of philological affinities 

 which may afterwards be brought to bear upon the 

 perplexing* question — AVhence has Austraha been 



