232 FOKM VOCABULARY. 



of the rest remained on the beach until after our 

 departure. 



We did not afterwards land upon Brierly Island^ 

 so I may conclude with a short description. It is 

 not more than half a mile in lengthy with a central 

 ridge attaining the height of 347 feet, and sloping" 

 downwards at each end. It is well wooded with 

 low trees and brushwood, and mixed up with them 

 there is a profusion of cocoa-palms scattered about 

 in clumps, from the margin of the beach to the 

 shoulders of the hill ; long coarse grass, at this time 

 of a beautiful light green tint, covered the re- 

 mainder. The usual fringing coral reef surrounds 

 the island, running oiF to a great distance in one 

 direction. The greater part of the shore and the 

 projecting points are rocky (where the soft splintery 

 mica slate has been exposed), with occasional sandy 

 beaches. We saw no fresh water, but the de- 

 clivities here and there shewed deep ftirrows in 

 the red clayey soil, the effects- of torrents after heavy 

 rains. 



To-day and yesterday I obtained in aU about 

 130 words of the language of the Brierly Island 

 people. The small vocabulary thus formed, the 

 first ever obtained in the Louisiade Archipelago, 

 leads to some interesting results, and fills up one 

 of the gaps in the chain of philological affinities 

 which may afterwards be brought to bear upon the 

 perplexing question — Whence has AustraUa been 



Digitized by Microsoft® 



