KIND ON THE LARGE BEUMER ISLAND. 259 



reception^ during- which their common exclamation 

 indicative of surprise and dehght^ an ad long* drawn 

 out^ was in constant requisition. 



Avg. Idth. — A quantity of cooked yams in bas- 

 kets and larg*e earthen pots was brought off to-day 

 by a party of natives^ as if in acknowledgment of 

 our civility to those whom we had imited on board 

 yesterday. Nothings was asked for in return— a 

 very unusual ciiTumstance^ — and that it was intended 

 as a present was further shewn by their leaving a 

 proportionate share on board the Bramble^ and im- 

 mediately pushing' off for the Eattlesnake with the 

 remainder^ explaining that it was intended for us 

 and could not be sold. 



The weather beino- now favourable for communi- 



cation with the shore^ the two cutters were manned 



and armed for this purpose^ and sent away in charge 



of Lieut. Simpson^ and^ as usual^ I was one of the 



volunteers who joined the party. Two of the natives 



gladly went in one of the boats — the same two who 



had previously invited us on shore^ as if to return 



our hospitality and point out the fresh water about 



which we had made repeated inquiries^ our stock of 



that all-essential article being now much reduced^ 



and the ship's company on an allowance of six pints 



each per diem. We landed at a little bay near the 



centre of the western side of the nearest and largest 



of the Brumer group. Although perfectly sheltered 



from the wind; a heavy swell l)roke upon the marghi 



of a fringing coral reef running out fifty or sixty 



^ o 



