PIG ISLAND. 187 



was selected by Capt. Stanley as the starting point 

 of the survey, and on the latter mag'netical observa- 

 tions were made by Lieutenant Dayman. 



In the afternoon I took a passage in a boat sent 

 with a party to Pig Island — the name afterwards 

 given to that nearest us — to search for water, and 

 endeavour to communicate with the natives. A 

 party of eight men, fishing upon the reef surround- 

 ing a small islet, allowed us to approach within a 

 short distance, but upon our attempting to leave the 

 boat they became alarmed and retreated to their 

 canoe in which they paddled off in great haste to the 

 landing place under a small village in sight of the 

 ship. This consisted of three or four long barn-hke 

 huts, raised irom the ground on posts. A large 

 village was also seen on Joannet Island, situated, 

 like the other, on the brow of a hill in a commanding 

 position. Five of our party landed about half a 

 mile fi'om where the canoe had disappeared, appa- 

 rently in some creek of a mangrove swamp j while 

 walking along the muddy shore we were met by 

 about a dozen natives, who g'radually fell back as we 

 approached. Seeing them apparently afraid of our 

 number and weapons, — they themselves being un- 

 armed, — I left my gun behind, and, advancing 

 alone, holding up a green branch in each hand, was 

 allowed to come up to them. They were apparently 

 in a state of great agitation, and very suspicious of 

 om* intentions. The spokesman of the party was 

 much hghter in colour than the others, and I at first 



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