1843] DEER-HUNT AT IBUGOS. 73 



on the lily leaves ; quiet pools, where the white Heron 

 sits disconsolate on a stone ; and marshy swamps, where 

 the long-billed Snipe is busily engaged probing the yield- 

 ing soil for worms. 



" At Ibugos, an excursion was planned to hunt deer ; 

 we started at daylight, with fourteen marines, intending 

 to beat the ground regularly from one end of the island 

 to the other. Deer, of small size, were numerous, but 

 somewhat shy, and difficult to follow on account of the 

 long rank grass. Troops of wild cattle were also seen 

 grazing in various parts of the island ; our leader, Lieu- 

 tenant Heard, succeeded in procuring a buck, which was 

 not secured until after considerable resistance." 



Having received much civility from the Alcade and 

 Padres, we quitted Batan on the 27th of November, under 

 a promise to return, and with a fair breeze from S.W. 

 started afresh for the Me'ia-co-shimahs. On this northerly 

 course we gradually fell off to N.N.E., but found we had 

 made the Island of Samasana instead of Botel Tobago ; 

 we then worked along the eastern side of Formosa, and 

 stretched off for the Meia-co-shimah group. On the 30th 

 of November we sighted Hummock and Sand Islands, 

 and passing close under the "southern reefs of the latter, 

 stood on in the hope of reaching Ty-pin-sau, or at least 

 of sighting Ykima of the charts ; but not finding it in 

 the position assigned, and bad weather preventing our 

 getting to windward, I made up my mind to seek the 

 nearest shelter, and commence operations. We then 

 succeeded in reaching the S.W. angle of Pa-tchung-san 

 of the natives, where nothing but reefs presented them- 

 selves. The customary good fortune of Exploring Ves- 



