CROKATOA ISLAND. 231 



lofty -peaked Crokatoa Island, which was densely 

 wooded from the base to the summit ; and, from 

 the very close view we had, displayed a rich and 

 beautiful appearance. . 



On the 30th of December, we had the com- 

 mencement of the south-east trade, being then 

 in lat. S'' 49' south, and long. 10 P 20' east. On 

 the 31st of December, I nearly lost one of the 

 Crowned pigeons, from some of the bamboos of the 

 cage in which they were confined having been 

 broken. This accident was not perceived at the 

 time it occurred : it was even fortunate that the 

 bird was seen to escape, and the cause discovered, 

 previously to the whole of them coming out. 

 The bird, now at liberty, got upon one of the 

 quarter-boats ; and from the motion of the ship 

 throwing it occasionally nearly off its balance, I 

 was fearful every moment of seeing it meet with 

 a watery grave. As it stood upon the edge of 

 the boat, surveying the expansive ocean before 

 it, the bird seemed, as the vessel gave an oc- 

 casional lurch, to be in danger of falling into 

 the waves ; or by mistaking the field of sea for a 

 large plain, might have plunged itself, uncon- 

 sciously, into destruction : fortunately, however, 

 the second officer of the ship succeeded in cap- 

 turing and returning it to the cage it had for- 

 saken. As the bird stood upon the boat, it had 



