A Primitive Crushing Mill, Si 7 



pestle and mortar, in which the pestle is made to perform a move- 

 ment of circumduction, and whilst doing so to rotate against the 

 sides of the mortar, where the crushing process is effected. A 

 large-stemmed tree of very hard wood having been cut down, so 

 as to leave about three feet of the trunk projecting above the 

 ground, a bucket-shaped cavity is excavated in the stump. A 

 heavy round spar about ten feet in length is stepped into this 

 cavity, and is made to incline forcibly to one side by means of 

 a wooden outrigger, which is supported by a rope attached to the 

 head of the spar, and is weighted with heavy stones placed at its 

 outer extremity. The inner end of the outrigger is fitted with 

 wide U-shaped jaws, which engage in a collar scored in the tree 

 stump just above its point of emergence from the ground, while 

 the rope-lift which supports its outer extremity is so attached to 

 the head of the upright spar that the outrigger may be free to 

 move radially about the stump at the same time that the upright 

 spar rolls round on its long axis, as it presses heavily against the 

 sides of the trough. Finally a small hole is bored laterally, so as 

 to reach the bottom of the cavity in the tree stump, and into this 

 is thrust a short bamboo tube to act as an oil-tap. The broken- 

 up copra is thrown in around the lower extremity of the upright 

 spar, and a bullock is set to work to drag round the outrigger 

 arrangement. The only attendance required is that of a small 

 boy to feed the wooden trough with copra, and occasionally to 

 throw stones so as to accelerate the otherwise lazy motion of the 

 bullock. In the mill which I examined the oil was flowing 

 steadily from the bamboo tap in a clear limpid stream. 



We dredged several times with the steam cutter in the channel 

 between Mahe and St. Anne's Island, and also in St. Anne's 

 Channel. The depth of water in these channels ranged from 

 four to twelve fathoms, and the bottom consisted of sand and 

 coral. The fauna was abundant, and comprised Shells of the 

 genera Murex, Area ; large grey Holothurians ; Echinoderms of 

 four or five species ; Crustacea of the genera Thalamites, Galathea, 



