SAN GEBISTOVAL. 265 



alluded to as adopted in other islands. We had all sorts of 

 barter, wliich so occupied us that no one but the Bishop 

 went on shore that day. 



Early the next morning I Avent on shore. The beach 

 appeared to me to be entirely composed of coral, and was 

 completely covered with cocoa-nut trees. Having met two 

 natives who spoke a little English, I immediately engaged 

 them to serve me as guides. These men, who are passion- 

 ately fond of smoking, had eyes like lynxes, and could 

 discover from a great distance, though the clay was any- 

 thing but clear, the pigeons which were in the trees hidden 

 by the leaves. They were capital climbers, too. Whenever 

 I expressed a wisli to drink they whisked deftly up the 

 cocoa-nut trees, and threw down as much fruit as I wislied 

 for. The heat was very gi'eat, of wliich I was especially 

 sensible Avhen going up and down a hill near the coast. 

 Among other large trees, I remarked many betel-nut palms, 

 and another prettier species of palm tree, which was 

 unknown to me. I gathered several species of ferns, 

 unlike any I had before met with. I noticed the same sort 

 of eagle, with white and brown plumage, that I had seen 

 at Uji. My gun had served me tolerably well ; I brought 

 back a dozen pigeons, of which, by the Avay, the flesh was 

 not very well flavoured, two pretty parrots, a curious species 

 of kingfisher, and a pretty little black and white bird. 



I met in the wood a group of three men and a woman, 

 whom the ship's arrival had attracted towards the shore. 

 The men, armed with spears, were carrying a dead opossum, 



