110 KACHAL AND OTHER ISLANDS 



into the bay and seaward, and at low tide tlie swell breaks 

 upon them heavily ; while, at the same time, two rocks pro- 

 ject above water inside the harbour, near the north beach, and 

 must be borne in mind when choosing an anchorage. Fifteen 

 or sixteen houses, surrounded by coconuts, are scattered along 

 half a mile of beach, and at its head the bay narrows and then 

 extends inland among mangroves and their attendant swamps. 



Our first expedition was up the bay, which we found opened 

 out into a shallow lagoon nowhere more than 2 or 3 feet deep. 

 The dinghy grounded often, and we were unable to reach firm 

 land anywhere, so thick was the belt of mangroves. Rowing 

 up some of the small creeks winding among them, we saw 

 several flocks of herons {^Suviatramis javanica)^ while sandpipers, 

 curlew and whimbrel were common on the mud-banks, and 

 pigeons and parrots in the taller trees. 



In several places occur those stretches of dead mangroves 

 only seen w^hen the trees are large, and which are infallible 

 evidence of the growth of land ; for when such trees first took 

 root, a certain amount of salt water must have been present, 

 while, when they are found dead, the roots are nearly always 

 silted up with solid matter, which first causes the water to become 

 stagnant, and finally replaces it. Having served their purpose, 

 they die, and stand white and gaunt until brought down by 

 the wind or gradual decay. 



At sunset, large flocks of whimbrel, travelling seaward down 

 the mouth of the lagoon, afforded some fair shooting, for they 

 were very wild, and flew past us at an amazing pace as we fired 

 at them from the boat hidden in the mangroves. 



On the northern side of the bay, where much of our collecting 

 was done, we found, behind the houses, a number of paths leading 

 among coconut and pandanus palms, tangled grass, and bushes. 

 Beyond this scrub, in which gaudy-leaved crotons were not 

 uncommon,* was the jungle, fairly open, but without any large 

 trees. 



* Probably obtained from the deserted Government establishment at 

 Nankauri Harbour. 



