4 INTRODUCTION 



squirrels, the larger kinds — Sciuriis bicolor attains almost the size 

 of a hare, which it much resembles in flavour — are by no means 

 despicable. When we were under sail, there were always lines 

 towing astern of the vessel, which often produced bonito, dolphin, 

 barracouta, edible shark, and other varieties, and we carried a 

 seine, which, when stretched across the mouth of a tidal creek, 

 was nearly always certain to entangle some kind of fish in its 

 meshes, while with a casting-net catches of what one might call 

 " whitebait " were often made. 



One is rarely able to obtain much else than fowls from natives, 

 and except in towns and large villages, where there are regular 

 bazaars and markets, even fruit other than coconuts and bananas 

 is scarce. Tinned and bottled preserves soon become insipid to the 

 palate, but dried fruit, such as apples, apricots and prunes, we found 

 far more attractive, and they should always be carried when native 

 supplies are uncertain. In fact, beyond a few necessaries such as 

 milk, butter, jam, tea, coffee, sugar, cheese and curry stuffs, and 

 a few more luxurious articles, like soups, pickles — but those who 

 have tried a well-seasoned piece of salt junk will admit that these 

 and mustard are almost absolute necessities — sauces, etc., the 

 fewer tinned provisions there are the better, so far as health in 

 the tropics is concerned. When one can keep the hen-coop well 

 stocked, and there is plenty of rice on board, one never feels 

 like grumbling while there is any amount of work to be 

 done. 



In the matter of collecting apparatus, the newer powders are 

 preferable, as with them there is less chance, through absence of 

 smoke, of losing sight of the specimen as it falls, which is often the 

 case otherwise. It is well to have cartridge cases of different 

 colours for ea.se in selection, and the sizes of shot most useful seem 

 to be: — SSG for pigs, deer, and large monkeys; A A and II for 

 monkeys, eagles, and other large birds ; V for pigeons, and others 

 of similar size in high tree tops ; VIII for the same at moderate 

 range, and for smaller birds and squirrels, etc., when distant ; while 

 2 drams of powder and \ ounce of XI shot — the cartridge filled 

 out by several wads between the two — is most useful for small 



