INTRODUCTION. 3 



affected before. The origin of the swell can only, I consider, have been due to submarine 

 volcanic disturbances probably towards the East- Indian region. 



During the first five weeks of our stay at Minikoi, while I was engaged in a survey 

 of the land and shores, Mr Borradaile occupied himself mainly with a thorough study of the 

 land Crustacea'. An incautious e.xposure on the reef, while collecting, then laid him up with 

 sunstroke, so that I had no option but to send him to Ceylon, whence he was ordered to 

 return as soon as possible to England. For the remaining eight weeks I was absolutely 

 alone, being deprived by illness even of my Singhalese servants. 





ipcMts 



4S so 22 



Fig. 1. Minikoi Atoll, from the Admiralty Chart. (Wningili, native name for Small Pox I.). 



I returned to Ceylon in the middle of September, Mr Forster Cooper shortly afterwards 

 joining me from England. After some unavoidable delay we left Colombo on Oct. 18th for 

 Male, the capital of the Maldives and residence of the Sultan. Owing to a succession of 

 accidents we did not arrive until Oct. 23rd, when we at once landed our stores, transferring 

 sufficient for a three months' cruise to our schooner. The latter was lent to us by His 

 Highness the Sultan; she was a vessel of about 16 tons, built in the islands, of coconut 



' Vide Mr Borradaile's account in the same part of this publication. 



1—2 



