WOMEN FISHING. 35 



to a channel which separated West Hill from the 

 main land, about a quarter of a mile in breadth, 

 very muddy and bordered by mangroves. 



In returning we came on a place where the natives 

 seemed to have been playing at some sort of game. 

 Several flat tabular pieces of stone, about the size 

 of an octavo volume, were stuck upright in the sand 

 in a certain order, while others, both flat and round, 

 were lying dispersed about. Striking into the bush 

 a little, we came on a water-course, in which were 

 several holes full of excellent water, the last of 

 which was just by the beach. A quarter of a mile 

 beyond we saw several women and children wading 

 about in a muddy flat, apparently collecting shell- 

 fish ; a man was standing on the beach as a sentry, 

 who, as soon as he saw us, called to the women, and 

 they all quitted their occupation and hastened into 

 the bush, the man taking the rear and guarding 

 their retreat. When we came back to the boat, at 

 low water, we found a heavy surf breaking around 

 her, and that she was barely in one fathom water, 

 shewing the tide to have fallen °20 feet since we 

 anchored ; we accordingly weighed and anchored 

 again further out. Soon after sunset, Aird called 

 my attention to a long bright ray of yellow light, 

 rising perpendicularly over the tops of the trees in 

 the west, just over the place of the sun. We could 

 not conceive what it could be, but afterwards found 

 it was the first appearance of the fine comet of this 

 year. 



d 2 



