CHANG-NGEH 161 



" The head, where the Galathea River debouches, is low and 

 flat, but on either side the shores are a continuation of the 

 hills, containing the river. The eastern cape is hilly and broken, 

 but the western extremity tails ofif in a low stretch of flat land. 



"Close to the western shore is Walker Island, a small grey 

 block of rock that has been likened to a fort with sentries — the 

 latter represented by columns of stone protected from detrition 

 by boulders of harder formation, which once, of course, rested 

 on the surface of the islet. 



" Coconut trees grow all round the bay, and on the starboard 

 hand we saw a dozen houses forming the village of Chang-ngeh, 

 from which a canoe put off with two men. They, and two 

 others far advanced in decrepitude, are the sole inhabitants of 

 this portion of the island. Formerly there was on the eastern 

 shore a village called Bad6i, but after some of its inhabitants 

 had been killed by Shom Peri, it was deserted. 



" We got ashore near the village at a spot sheltered from surf 

 by a projecting reef Close inspection showed that the houses 

 were far more dilapidated than they appeared to be from the sea. 



" Having obtained megapodes, dongos, and sunbirds by a 

 short excursion into the jungle, we walked along the beach to 

 examine the river mouth, in view of a journey up-stream next 

 day. 



" Coming from the right, where it runs for some distance 

 parallel to the shore, the river turns suddenly and makes its 

 way to the sea through a stretch of sand, leaving on the left 

 a quiet backwater into which the current swirls. A continuous 

 line of surf broke across the entrance, which was very narrow." 



'^ March 28. — At sunrise, having made all preparations over- 

 night, we loaded the boat with food and bedding, mosquito nets, 

 and collecting apparatus, and put off for the expedition up-river. 



" First we pulled ashore and landed some of the cargo, for 

 with it all on board and a crew of five, the boat was too heavy 

 to negotiate the breakers safely. Then we lay off the river's 

 mouth watching the sea ; swell after swell came sliding in, until 

 one larger than the rest swung by, leapt up, and with the white 



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