LAND ON THE LARGE BEUMER ISLAND. 259 



"reception, during- which their common exclamation 

 indicative of surprise and delight, an ad long drawn 

 out, was in constant requisition. 



Av^. 19th. — A quantity of cooked yams in bas- 

 kets and larg-e earthen pots was hroug-ht off to-day 

 by a party of natives, as if in acknowledg-ment of 

 oiu- civility to those whom we had invited on board 

 yesterday. Nothing" was asked for in return— a 

 very unusual circumstance, — and that it was intended 

 as a present was further shewn by their leaving* a 

 proportionate share on board the Bramble, and im- 

 mediately pushing- off for the Eattlesnake with the 

 remaindei", explaining- that it was intended for us 

 and could not be sold. 



The weather being- now favourable for communi- 

 cation with the shore, the two cutters were manned 

 and armed for this purpose, and sent away in charg-e 

 of Lieut. Simpson, and, as usual, I was one of the 

 volunteers who joined the party. Two of the natives 

 g-ladly went in one of the boats — the same two who 

 had previously invited us on shore, as if to return 

 our hospitality and point out the fresh water about 

 M'hich we had made repeated inquiries, om- stock of 

 that all-essential article being' now much reduced, 

 and the ship's company on an allowance of six pints 

 each per diem. We landed at a little bay near the 

 centre of the western side of the nearest and largest 

 of the Brumer group. Although perfectly sheltered 

 from the ^\ind, a heavy swell broke upon the margin 

 of a fringing coral reef running out fifty or sixty 



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