WHITE— A Sketch of the Life of Samuel White. 213 



few notes he says : "It seems strange after the last few weeks 

 pf rush and bustle to have a little time to myself, and I now 

 find time to have a good clean up and put things away. I 

 think my sores are better after a day's quiet." Andrews 

 went off in the morning with a gun, and Cockerell left in the 

 afternoon, but neither of these collectors put in an appearance 

 at dark, and were given over as bushed. About 11 p.m. 

 Cockerell turned up after a very rough time in the scrub. 

 Andrews was out all night and nearly all the next day. My 

 father set out in search of him, and at length he located the 

 missing man's whereabouts by firing his gun several times and 

 awaiting Andrew's answering shot. Samuel White in his 

 note book makes the following comment: "Andrews out all 

 night, had to go after him. He must have had a lively time 

 of it as the mosquitos are very troublesome in this part of the 

 island. This is the second time within a few days that my 

 taxidermists have lost themselves. This corner of the island 

 ,.seems to be a quiet spot, no natives living here, and there are 

 no cocoanut palms to be seen, consequently a few great Birds 

 of Paradise live here in quietude, and their calls could be 

 heard from the yacht. As soon as I got Andrews on board 

 and saw that he had some nourishing food after his wet and 

 rough time in the tropical scrub, I took Cockerell. ordered a 

 boat out, and landed a little distance up the coast. We went 

 in search of the great bird, and we were successful in securing 

 three fine specimens. I had a good opportunity of watching 

 these beautiful birds to-day, and I still find that their actions 

 resemble those of the Rifle Bird of Australia. Some of them 

 clung to the branches of the tree in which they were dancing, 

 with their backs downwards, stretching their wings, and 

 waving their plumes, and giving forth their loud cry of wark, 

 wark, repeated several times. I was unable to stay out very 

 long owing to my sores giving me much pain when I walked, 

 and the country is full of 'Lawyer Palm', which makes travel- 

 ling very difficult under any circumstances. While out after 

 Andrews to-day I observed more palms than usual, some of 

 them very tall and slender, perhaps 70 feet high and not more 

 than six inches, in diameter, being hut a trifle larger at the 

 lower end, than near the top. I saw a good many cycads, 

 which were like those growing in Australia. The country 

 here as elsewhere is low, and in many places the soil is very 

 shallow, notwithstanding which there are some very large, 

 and tall trees growing at frequent intervals. Birds were 

 not numerous, except the 'Great Bird' and a large rail, but 



