220 IN AUSTRALIAN WILDS 



that the flesh of many Turtles had been reduced to 

 soup. Nobody connected with the industry visited 

 the island during the naturalists' sojourn there. 



Birds on North-West Island had enemies in their 

 midst, domestic cats gone wild. One of the fierce 

 animals was shot; but others were seen, and we feared 

 that the tribe might increase and become a serious 

 menace to bird-life. Walking through the scrub one 

 morning, I was astonished by the sight of a neat picket 

 fence, enclosing a small area, and with a wooden cross 

 at one end. It was the grave of a child, a lonely rest- 

 ing place within sound of the sea. The jungle was 

 building green walls about it, and the cross was shaded 

 by a drooping bough. The spot seemed familiar, and 

 suddenly I remembered a solitary grave on a hillside 

 in Queensland. Continuing my ramble, I met two 

 other naturalists, and together we crossed the island 

 through the Pisonia forest. Emerging from the scrub 

 on to a sunlit beach, we disturbed a flock of Terns and 

 spoiled the post prandial nap of a Turtle. North- 

 West Island seemed to be a stronghold of Turtles, for 

 hundreds were counted during the walk back to camp. 



On board the Endeavour a trip was made to North 

 Reef, which is marked by a lighthouse. The keepers 

 and their kin, though taken by surprise, gave us a 

 warm welcome. North Reef Islet is only a ridge of 

 sand, with bushes growing on the summit, and "Roly- 

 poly" grass and evergreen creepers spread over the 

 flat area. It was low tide when we arrived, and the 

 reef was exposed. Among the pools Reef-Herons 

 were feeding, and they allowed us to approach close 

 to them. The light-keepers explained that they liked 

 to have the birds about, and never disturbed them. 



From North Reef the steamer took us to Tryon 

 Island, where an exciting incident occurred. The tide 

 was at half-flood when the first boat left the En- 

 deavour to take four naturalists ashore. When it was 

 about three-quarters of a mile from the beach the boat 



