364f PUDDING PAN HILL. 



feet still fresh in the sand. It appears that at 

 this season of the year, being the favourable mon- 

 soon for ships passing through the Barrier reefs on 

 their voyage to India, the islands to the southward 

 are much frequented by the natives of JNIurray and 

 others of the northern isles, waiting, like wreckers 

 of old, the untoward loss of some ill-fated ship, 

 when their canoes appear as if by magic, hastening 

 to the doomed vessel ; just as in the Pampas of 

 South America, no sooner has the sportsman brought 

 down a deer than the air is filled with myriads 

 of vultures winging their way towards the carcase, 

 though a few minutes before not a feather was 

 stirring. The long-sightedness of these Indians re- 

 sembles that of the carrion bird itself,* while their 

 rapacity and recklessness of blood is fully equal to 

 that of the lower animal. 



We left our readers at Cairncross Island, and now 

 return to our narrative by describing the neigh- 

 bourinfj coast. The most remarkable feature on 

 this part of the main land, generally speaking a 

 dull monotonous level, is a hill bearing over the ex- 

 tremity of the reef fronting the south side of Cairn- 

 cross, S. 45° W., to which Captain Bligh has given 



* As some of our readers may imagine that vultures and birds 

 of prey are attracted to tlie carcases of animals by smell, I 

 may state that an experiment was tried with a condor in South 

 America ; being hoodwinked, he passed unnoticed a large piece 

 of beef, but as soon as the bandage was removed, he rushed 

 eagerly towards and devoured it. 



