44 THE LIU-KIU ISLANDS. [chap. 



kingfisher^ that flitted out from tune to time ahead of us was by 

 no means out of harmony with it, for the bird is cosmopolitan in 

 its habits, and ranges from Africa to Xew Gumea, and from Japan 

 to Timor. It is an Eastern representative of our own kingfisher, 

 and difters but little from it in plumage. 



Passing the wooded islet at the harbour's entrance on our 

 return, we came upon a curious scene. A party of half a dozen 

 natives had gathered on the bare summit, and, facing towards the 

 west, were occupied in some sort of festal or religious ceremonial. 

 The sun was just setting, Ijut the thick banks of cloud gathered 

 above our heads portended a heavy storm. Bathed in a flood of 

 hard light, a solitary figure stood out against the evening sky, 

 slowly waving his arms and dancmg an adieu to day. Behind 

 him sat the others wdth snake-skin guitars, chanting the weird, yet 

 not unpleasing, discords of some Liu-kiuan song. Presently the 

 music ceased, and another stepped forward to take the dancer's 

 place. We floated slowly on, half unconsciously under the 

 spell of the mournful music and the strangeness of the scene 

 we were watching, until both had vanished in distance, and the 

 fast -fading light warned us that we had better return. The 

 piece was ended and the cvirtain had fallen, but among many 

 scenes of travel ^'i^ddly impressed upoij^y memory, I can recall 

 few more so than the Liu-kiuan sunset da«ice in Napha-kiang 

 harbour. 



At our interview with the Yice-Governor upon our arrival, we 

 had inthnated to him, but in Asiatic exuberance of diction, that 

 we hoped we might have the pleasure of his company at dinner on 

 Ijoard the Marchcsa. The answer, couched no doubt in equally 

 florid verbiage, was to the effect that he had much pleasure in 

 accepting. At the appointed time, accordingly, we sent the gig to 

 convey our guests on board. They were three in number ; the 

 other tw^o being our friend Uyeno, the Japanese doctor, and a 

 secretary of the Governor. The conversation at first hung fire, 



1 Alcedo bengalcnsis, Gm. 



