CHAP, xxiii.] KAIOA ISLANDS. 29 



comet, still apparently as brilliant as at first, but the tail 

 had now risen to a higher angle. 



October XMh. — All this day we coasted along the Kaioa 

 Islands, which have much the appearance and outline of 

 Ke on a small scale, with the addition of flat swampy 

 tracts along shore, and outlying coral reefs. Contrary 

 winds and currents had prevented our taking the proper 

 course to the west of them, and we had to go by a 

 circuitous route round the southern extremity of one 

 island, often having to go far out to sea on account of 

 coral reefs. On trying to pass a channel through one of 

 these reefs we were grounded, and all had to get out into 

 the water, which in this shallow strait had been so heated 

 by the sun as to be disagreeably warm, and drag our vessel 

 a considerable distance among weeds and sponges, corals 

 and prickly corallines. It was late at night when we 

 reached the little village harbour, and we were all pretty 

 well knocked up by hard work, and having had nothing 

 but very brackish water to drink all day — the best we 

 could find at our last stopping-place. There was a house 

 close to the shore, built for the use of the Eesident of 

 Ternate when he made his official visits, but now occupied 

 by several native travelling merchants, among whom I 

 found a place to sleep. 



The next morning early I went to the village to find the 

 " Kapala," or head man. I informed him that I wanted 



