622 Voyage of the Novara. 



dry Trepang in the sun, whereas over a wood fire the same 

 end is attained in four days. 



On the whole, the precautions requisite properly to prepare 

 Trepang are so manifold and require such an expenditure of 

 time, that only those who for years have been exclusively 

 devoted to the business can secure a successful result. Con- 

 sequently the trade is exceedingly remunerative, and num- 

 bers of captains have within a very few years realized a 

 competency and even affluence by preparing Trepang for the 

 Chinese market. 



We employed our time, when sailing back to the island 

 of Fdole, in finishing a small vocabulary of the language 

 in use by the inhabitants of the Stewart Island group, 

 which we accomplished with the last stroke of the oar that 

 brought our heavily-laden boat back to Faole, where the rest 

 of our companions already anxiously awaited our return. 

 We had occasion to remark with surprise the perseverance 

 and readiness of comprehension of one native named Kdrosi, 

 to whose assistance we are entirely indebted for the prepara- 

 tion of this vocabulary. 



After a stay of about four hours on the island, we retm'ned 

 to the ship about 4.30 p.m., and by sundown were again under 

 weigh for Sydney.* If the inhabitants of the Solomon group 



* During our excursion, there were taken on board the frigate, which cruised to 

 and fro in short tacks off the island, about 200 readings of the temperature, at depths 

 of every 50 fathoms. It was also intended to experiment as to soundings, but the 



