CORAL ISLES 



219 



numerous than at Mast Head, and were nesting among 

 the larger bushes and Pandanus Palms. Hundreds 

 of Turtles were basking on the southern beach, and 

 few of them stirred until we were close enough to 

 touch their huge bodies with a stick. Heron Island 

 possessed many charms ; but we had come to regard 



REEF HERON NESTLING. 



Mast Head as "our island," and were glad to be back 

 again after our pleasant cruise. 



It was my good fortune to be chosen as historian 

 of the expedition, and I spent a few days with the 

 party on North-West Island. Their camp was dif- 

 ferent from ours at Mast Head, because they made use 

 of some buildings on the island, where turtle-soup 

 canning operations had been carried on. A huge 

 pile of bleached bones near the silent "factory" showed 



