fi KTDfc: GEOLOGISTS. 



Althcugli I was rarely absent from the ship Miore than a couple 

 of days at a time, my excursions had occasionally, as regards the 

 number of my attendants, somewhat of an imposing appearance. 

 Being anxious to visit a district named Koraalia, on the north-west 

 side of Alu, the principal of the Shortland Islands, that being the 

 localit}' from which the natives obtained their slabs of a hard, 

 crystalline diorite, upon Avhich they used to sharpen their knives 

 and axes, Gorai, the chief, volunteered to take me there. Accord- 

 if'g'yj ^'® appeared alongside the ship the next morning in a largo 

 war-canoe, Mfty feet long, and manned by eighteen paddle-men. 

 We started, twenty-four all told, including Gorai, three of his sons, 

 and m3'self The chief and I sat beside each other, on the second 

 bow tliwart, the post, I believe, which is usually occupied by a- chief 

 Leaving the Onua anchorage shortly before ten a.m., we proceeded 

 easily along at about three miles an hour, coasting the north 

 side of Alu and ])assing numerous islets on the way. The day was 

 fine but very hot, and there was no protection from the glare of the 

 sun on the water. About half-past one, we reached the north-west 

 point of Alu, where we put into a small cove to get water. Here 

 we .saw the tracks of a crocodile on the sand : and on proceeding 

 on our way wre saw another on the beach, which, however, soon 

 dived into the sea. Shortly after this, two-thirds of the crew of the 

 canoe jumped overboard after a small turtle, which managed to 

 evade them. The men in the water disturbed another crocodile, 

 which rushed boldly through the line of swimmers, and, diving 

 under our canoe, soon disappeared. Three dugongs came up to the 

 sui-face close to us : and the old chief fired a shot with his snider at 

 one of them, but without nuich apparent efi"ect. About half-past 

 two, we reached our destination, and we at once proceeded in search 

 of tlie volcanic rocks, wdiicli we soon succeeded in finding. There 

 was not the slightest reason to question on what errand we were em- 

 ph>yed, and I doubt if th.-re was ever a more odd-looking party of 

 geologists. The old chiey istinguished from the rest of his men by 

 a shirt, his only article of apparel, led the way : and T followed with 

 about a dozen of his natives. Taking the cue from me, the whole 

 party immediately began breaking m) the rocks, and I was in a very 

 short time supplied with an abundance of material to select from. 

 <Jourte8y, how'ever, compelled me to take all the chief brought to 

 rue. which was sonnnvhat hiconvenient since the old man displayed 

 much energy in using my geological hannm-r. On returnino- to the 



