170 Pearls. 



collecting and curing the Chinese dainty, ''beche- 

 de-mer" {Holothuria), this creature being discovered 

 there in profusion. No natives were seen for the 

 first two days, and drying sheds were erected on 

 the beach. Suddenly, however, a body of natives 

 appeared on the scene, and attacked the party in 

 the open. The Solorese jumped into the sea, and 

 swam off to the ship, leaving the white men and 

 the dingy on the shore. As the spears were flying 

 thickly, and sticking quivering in the sides of the 

 dingy, the white men were forced to fire for their 

 own protection. The natives soon made off, fortu- 

 nately without loss of life on either side. Twice 

 again that week attacks were made, and then to 

 avoid bloodshed, the ship left. The remains of a 

 Malay prau were seen here, the crew having been 

 probably murdered by the natives. 



The pearling vessel proceeding eastwards, pros- 

 pecting all the unsurveyed coast up to Port Darwin, 

 but found nothing until that port was reached. On 

 the first day at Port Darwin, "shell" was struck 

 close to the town, to the great excitement of all 

 the inhabitants, the good news being telegraphed 

 all over Australia. As soon as shell began to get 

 scarce in the shallow water, Mr. Chippindall decided 

 to prospect outside ; but the easterly monsoon 

 setting in, he stretched across to the Aru Islands, 



