182 THE KE ISLANDS. [chap. xxix. 



one, which had a number of hard globular palm-fruits in 

 its crop, each more than an inch in diameter, 



A little further the path divided into two, one leading 

 along the beach, and across mangrove and sago swamps, 

 the other rising to cultivated grounds. We therefore 

 returned, and taking a fresh departure from the "village, 

 endeavoured to- ascend the hills and penetrate into the 

 interior. The path, however, was a most trying one. 

 Where there was earth, it was a deposit of reddish clay 

 overlying the rock, and was worn so smooth by the attrition 

 of naked feet that my shoes could obtain no hold on the 

 sloping surface. A little farther we came to the bare rock, 

 and this was worse, for it was so rugged and broken, and 

 so honeycombed and weatherworn into sharp points and 

 angles, that my boys, who had gone barefooted all their 

 lives, could not stand it. Their feet began- to bleed, and I 

 saw that if I did mot want them completely lamed it would 

 be wise to turn back. My own shoes, which were rather 

 thin, were but a poor protection, and would soon have been 

 cut to pieces ; yet our little naked gviides tripped along 

 with the greatest ease and unconcern, and seemed much 

 astonished at our effeminacy in not being able to take 

 a walk which to them was a perfectly agreeable one. 

 During the rest of our stay in the island we were obliged 

 to confine ourselves to the vicinity of the shore and the 

 cultivated grounds, and those more level portions of the 



