20 



A NATURALIST'S WANDEEINUH 



continued to ooze tnit fur about teu to fourteen days, lay some- 

 whero betn*e^?n the southern end of New Selima and tlie 

 northern end of Gooseberry Island, The colour was of an inky 

 hue, and its smell " like that of rotten eggs." From thjjj point 

 ir spread south- west ward as far as the deep baylet in Bouth- 

 eaBt Island, where meeting the currents, flowing in at the 

 westward and northern entrances, whieh run, the one round 

 the western, the other round the eastern shore of the lagoon, 

 its westward progress was stopped \ whereujwn, turning north- 

 wards through the middle of the lagoon (becomiug slightly 

 less dark as it proceeded), it debouched into the oeean by the 

 northern chauuel Within twenty-four hours, every fish, coral 

 and mollusc, in the part impregnated with this discolouring 

 substance — probably hydrosulphuric or Ciirbonic acid— died. 

 So great was the number of fish thrown on the beach, that it 

 took three weeks of hard work to bury them in a vast trench 

 dug in the sand. 



At tlie time of my visit, the islands were slowly recovering 

 from this sad disaster, and the whole settlement, living far from 

 the busy strife of the world, yet sufficiently mingling with 

 it to afford contentment without envy, seemed the ideal of a 

 peaceful and happy colony. Mr. Ross, who is associated with 

 several of his brothers, occupies a commodious and comfortable 

 house midway between the two villages, surrounded by a high 

 wall, enclosing a large garden in which fruit-trees and shrubs 

 — sow manilla {Mimmoiys), bananas, loqnat (EHohofri/a), Poin- 

 cianas, and roses in grand profusion, — seem to flourish remark- 

 ably well, notwithstanding the scanty soil. Each Keeling 

 family possesses its own neat plank house, comfortably fur- 

 nished, enclosed in a little garden. Housed in a trim shed by 

 the water's edge, each has one or more boats. These boats are 

 their pride; and so ardently do they vie with each other in 

 their speed, and in the elegance of their shape and furnishings, 

 that the village possesses a fleet of really masterpieces of boat 

 architecture. Living on the sea, as they do, they are all from 

 their birth "naturally skilfal sailors ; and one of the pleasautest 

 reminiscences of my visit, is the sight of that Httle white- 

 sailed fleet beating home across the lagoon, in a sunny evening, 

 against a stiiBsh breeze. 



It was exceedingly pleasant to observe the cordial and 



