42 LAND ON ARDEN ISLAND. 



circumstances^ I do not suppose the Kulkaleg'a tribe 

 to consist of more than 100 souls. The women 

 whom we saw Avore loose petticoats of leaves reach- 

 ino- to below the knees. 



The ship worked up throug'h the channel between 

 Bet and Sue Islands^ and anchored for the nig-ht off 

 the eastern extreme of the reef running* out fi'om 

 the former. Four larg-e canoes comino* from the 

 northward passed over the reef at hig-h water^ g'oing* 

 towards Sue Island. 



Next day Ave passed Cocoa-nut Island on our 

 rig'ht^ and Dove Island on our left^ and anchored 

 near Arden Island^ where we landed on the follow- 

 ing- morning" before daylig'ht with a seining* party. 

 The place is scarcely more than a quarter of a mile 

 in leng-th; low and sandy, covered with tall bushes 

 and a few clumps of trees [Pisonia grandis). We 

 saw traces — but none very recent— of visits paid by 

 the natives, indicated by remains of fires, turtle 

 bones, a larg*e pit dug* as a well, and two old graves. 

 As usual a coral reef extends from the shore, with- 

 out leaving- a clear spot of sufficient size to admit of 

 the seine being- hauled. Species of Cissus and two 

 or three Capparidoi constituted the bulk of the veg-e- 

 tation, and rendered the low scrub almost impervious 

 in many places. A number of Torres Strait pig-eons, 

 chiefly young- birds, and some stone-plovers and 

 other waders, were shot, and one rare bird was 

 obtained for the collection, a male of Pachycephala 

 77iclanura. Soon after our return we g-ot under 



