DEAD man's island. 275 



an estimate tliat came within many removes of the 

 actual number I here saw. I can indeed liken them 

 to nothing else, as regards number, than a swarm of 

 bees; their bodies obscuring the sun's light when 

 they passed overhead, and a stone thrown at random 

 never failing to meet a mark. 



The conchological specimens found on these islands 

 are varied but inelegant ; they comprise both descrip- 

 tions of the nautilus — the true and paper varieties 

 being found in abundance. These shells externally 

 possess but little beauty, but on being sawn apart in 

 a lateral direction, they present a handsome pearly 

 arrangement contained in an air-tight apartment in 

 the base of the shell. A small variety of the cowrie, 

 too, is abundant. There are also periwinkles, scollops, 

 and oysters, all three of which are excellent eating, 

 and, therefore, were in great request with us. 



Crabs are also found in great numbers, and can be 

 had for the trouble of picking up ; so that we made 

 shift to fare pretty well during our stay here. 



One of the islands to which we made several ex- 

 cursions, was known as Dead Man's Island, from the 

 fact that an encounter between the members of the 

 crew of a Spanish ship, which was wrecked on the 

 reef in the seventeenth century, resulted in the death 

 of several of their number. The circumstances are 

 these : the crew, after their vessel was stranded, made 

 for this island, having saved provisions and other 

 articles, amongst which was a chest of treasure. A 

 dispute arising regarding the ownership of this 

 treasure, from words they proceeded to blows and 

 bloodshed, and some of them were sacrificed to their 

 avaricious spirit. After the battle the defeated party 



