304 



THE NORTHERN FORESTS. 



[Part IX. 



liad disturbed tliem tliiis early, before tlieii- habitual 

 hour for betaking themselves to the lishing-fields. By 

 degrees, as the light increased, we saw them begmning 

 to move upon the trees ; they looked around them 

 on every side, stretched their awkward legs behind 

 them, extended their broad wings, gradually rose in 

 groups, and slowly soared away in the dii^ection of the 

 sea-shore. 



The pehcans were apparently later in their movements ; 

 they allowed us to approach as near them as the swampy 

 nature of the soil would permit ; and even when a gun 

 was discharged amongst them, those only moved off which 

 the particles of shot disturbed. They were in such num- 

 bers at tliis favourite place, that the water over Avliich 

 they had taken up their residence was swarming with 

 crocodiles, attracted by the frequent fall of the young 

 buxls ; and the natives refused, from fear of them, to 

 wade in for one of the larger pehcans which had faUen, 

 struck by a rifle ball. It was altogether a very remark- 

 able sight. 



About seven o'clock we reached om^ destination, near 

 the great breach in the embankment, having first efTected 

 a passage with difficulty over the wide stream, that was 

 flowing towards it from the basin of the tank. The 

 huge banlv Avas concealed from sight by the trees with 

 which it is overgrown, till suddenly we found ourselves 

 at its foot. It is a prodigious Avork, nearly eleven 

 miles in length, thirty feet broad at the top, about 

 tAvo hundred at the base, upAvards of seventy high, and 

 faced throughout its Avhole extent by layers of squared 

 stone. 



The fatal breach througli Avhich the Avaters escape 

 is an ugly chasm, tAVO hundred feet broad, and half as 

 many deep, Avith the riA^r running sloAvly beloAv.^ Tliis 



' The natives haA'e a tradition that 

 the destruction of the bund was 

 effected by a foreign enemy tliat 

 landed at KokeLai, and burst the 



embankment by heating the rock 

 with lire, and quenching it with 

 acid milk. 



