328 WATCH-FIRES. [1845. 



care of the stars ; and it is highly probable that to this 

 early lesson, teaching them that we were ever on the 

 alert to any interruptions inimical to our duties, rendered 

 our subsequent transactions with them more easy We 

 found that a vigilant look-out was also maintained on 

 their part on the summits of all their high hills, where 

 guards in little square forts were always to be observed 

 moving about, and at stated hours, near sunset, and 

 during the night, signal fires were passed along the posts, 

 in succession, commencing from that nearest to the ship 

 or boats. By day, this was effected by smoke, which 

 was very cleverly, as well as prettily performed, by 

 throwing wet chopped straw, and sometimes paddy husks 

 into the fire, producing instantaneously a dense white 

 column, afterwards used, in imitation, by ourselves for 

 surveying signals. Some of the Officers thought that 

 they could distinguish symbols in the form of the lights, 

 but these I did not perceive, and when we consider that 

 their telescopes are of the most miserable description, and 

 that with ours, of the very best quality, that it was but a 

 conjecture, and the distance also between the objects in 

 question being, at least, three miles, I think there is no 

 ground for that inference. 



Preparations were now made for carrying on the survey 

 of the island by the ship and boats, in the event of any 

 difficulty arising on the part of the authorities ; my in- 

 structions strictly prohibiting any measure of this nature 

 being effected by force or against their consent. On the 

 30th of June it was intimated that one of the Quelpart 

 Generals would visit the ship. Every preparation being 

 made for his proper reception, shortly before noon three 



