66 SAIL FOR SYDNEY. 



coffin-Kke box, resting* upon a hollowed out log, the 

 bow having- the two characteristic ornaments of the 

 tahura, or head-board, and the crest-like carved 

 wood work running out along the beak. Some of 

 the natives were recognised as former visitors to the 

 ship. Nearly all were painted, chiefly on the face, 

 the favourite pattern being series of white bars and 

 spots on a black ground. Except their ornaments 

 and weapons, they had httle to give us for the iron 

 hoop so much in request with themj only a few 

 cocoa-nuts, and scarcely any yams were obtained, 

 and to the latter they attached a much higher value 

 than formerly. 



At length the natives left us, three canoes making 

 to the northward, and two returning to the Duch4- 

 teau Isles. Morning observations for rating the 

 chronometers having been obtained, we got under 

 weigh soon afterwards, and, bidding farewell to the 

 Louisiade Archipelago, commenced our voyage to 

 Sydney. 



Our daily average progress during the passage 

 to Sydney (which occupied a period of twenty-eight 

 days), was less than fifty miles. The winds for the 

 first few days, or until beyond the influence of the 

 land, were Hght and variable, shifting between S.W. 

 and N.E. by the northward, and accompanied by 

 occasional squalls and rain. It became a matter of 

 difiiculty to determine when we got into the south- 

 east trade ; it was not until we had reached latitude 

 20° S. that the wind — light on the preceding day, 



