GEOLOGICAL QUEIUES. 331 



feet, on the trees that grew along the banks, them- 

 selves not more than a couple of yards above high 

 water mark. 



The exploring party saw a few natives, but they 

 were too shy to communicate. One was discovered 

 on a long flat, crawling on his hand and knees, to 

 catch a glimpse of the strange intruders, and 

 looking more like a great insect than a man. In 

 the distance up the river a good many smokes ap- 

 peared; but I doubt whether this maybe considered 

 as denoting a densely populated country, as fires 

 are kindled by the Australian natives, both as 

 signals and for the purposes of hunting. 



Previous to my departure from England, I had 

 the pleasure of hearing a valuable paper by my 

 friend Mr. Darwin, on the formation of coral 

 islands,* read at the Geological Society ; my at- 

 tention being thus awakened to the subject, the 

 interest of this important paper was to me greatly 

 enhanced by a series of queries, kindly furnished 

 by Mr. Darwin, and drawn up with a view to con- 

 firm or invalidate his views, his purpose being to 

 elicit truth from a combination of vi^ell attested facts, 

 and by inducing the research of others to further 

 the objects of science. 



Among these queries was the following: — "Are 

 there masses of coral or beds of shells some yards 

 above high water mark, on the coast fronting the 

 barrier reef ? " 



* See also the Hydrographer's Instructions, supra, p. 21. 



