CUL DE SAC DE l'oRANGERIE. 287 



to US was a small wooden pillow* about a foot long- 

 and six inches hig'h^ with a slig-ht concavity above to 

 receive the neck of the person using* it. Both 

 women and children came off with the men 

 to traffic with us and look at the ship^ but none 

 could be tempted to come on board^ althoug*h they 

 paddled up along-side without the slig-htest hesita- 

 tion. AVe were frequently solicited to accompany 

 them on shore^ but no one was allowed to leave the 

 ship. 



The northern shores of the Cul de Sac are low 

 and wooded^ forming- an extensive tract of level land 

 stretching* backwards towards the mountains^ with 

 a larg-e opening* at its eastern end^ which is probably 

 the mouth of a g-reat river. The Bramble was sent 

 to examine this bay^ but the shoalness of the water^ 

 and the unfavourable nature of the weather pre- 

 vented the completion of this work. During* her 

 absence a larg*e canoe was seen in the bay^ differing- 

 from all those hitherto observed in having- a trian- 

 g*ular or latteen sail set Avith the apex downwards^ 

 thus resembling- those in use on the north coast of 

 New Guinea, among" some of the Malay Islands, 

 and those of the Viti Archipelag'o. 



The weather, since leaving* Brumer Islands, has 

 usually been g-loomy, with frequent rain, occasionally 

 very heavy, and a close mug-g-y feeling- in the atmos- 

 phere as if one were living* in a vapour bath ; the 



* Wooden pillows are also in use in some of the islands of 

 Polynesia and in New Caledonia. 



