MOUNT ERNEST DESCRIBED. 35 



birds with a gvm, and procuring- a light from a 

 lucifer match. 



On the following- day I had an opportunity of 

 examining- the whole of the northern or inhabited 

 side of the island. Mount Ernest is little more 

 than a mile in greatest lengthy of a somewhat 

 triangular shape^ its eastern and larger portion 

 hilly^ rising gradually to an elevation of 751 feet, 

 and its western part low and sandy. The rock 

 is grey sienite, and from the striking similarity of 

 aspect, it appeared to me pretty certain that Pole, 

 Burke, and Banks Islands are of the same forma- 

 tion; they agree in exhibiting- massive peaks, re- 

 spectively 409, 490, and 1246 feet in height. 



Mount Ernest is the head quarters of the Kul- 

 kalega tribe of Torres Strait Islanders who are now 

 absent on one of their periodical migrations, leaving 

 in possession only the old man whom we met 

 yesterday, and his family, among whom is a 

 daughter of rather prepossessing appearance for a 

 female of her race. The village consists of a single 

 line of huts, which would fm-nish accommodation 

 for, probably, 150 people. It is situated on the 

 north-west, or leeward side of the island, imme- 

 diately behind the beach, and in front of a belt of 

 jungle. The huts are long and low, with an arched 

 roof, and vary in length from ten to twenty feet, 

 with an average height of five feet, and a width of 

 six. They consist of a neat framework of strips 

 of bamboo, thatched with long coarse grass. Each 

 D 2 



