258 THE CRUISE OF THE ' CURAQOA: 



CHAPTEE XVI 



UJI— SOLOMON GROUP. 



(AuftUST 29 AND 30.) 



Alarm on board — Pigeon Shooting in the Trees — Natural History. 



On August 29, about two a.m., we left Ulakua and made 

 for the island of Uji, which has likewise the names of 

 Guelph and Gulf Island. At daybreak we saw land before 

 us, and soon passed by three little i.slands called the Three 

 Sisters, lying to the south of Ulakua. About three o'clock 

 p. ii. we anchored in twenty-four fathoms on the coast of 

 Uji, with tlie ' Southern Cross ' made fast to our stern. 



In the evening, just as we were sitting down to our 

 dinner, we were alarmed by an explosion in tlie .ship's 

 stern. The fire bell rang, every man was instantly at his 

 post, but fortunately it turned out to be of little or no 

 consequence. One of the steward's boys, drawing some 

 brandy from a cask that was almost empty, put his candle 

 too close to it and set fire to the spirit, thus causing 

 an explosion which burst the barrel without doing any 

 material damage. 



The next day at an early hour I went ashore with Doctor 

 Picken. It had rained during the night, and the ground 



