CHAP, XXXV.] 



TO WAIGIOU. 



miijiber of islands iiiterveaing, Aljout ten o'clock we run 

 full on to a coral reef, which alarmed us a good deal, but 

 luckily got sale oil' again. About two in the afternoon wo 

 reached an extensive coral reef, and were sailinj^ closo 

 alongside of it, wheii tho wind suddenly dropped, and 

 we drifted on to it before we could get in our heavy 

 mainsail, which we wem obliged to let run down and 

 fall partly overboard. We had much ditficulty in gcttinf,' 

 off, but at last got into deep water again, though with i*eets 

 and islands all around us. At night we did not know what 

 to do, as no one on board could tell where we were or what 

 dangers might sun'ound us, the only one of our crew who 

 WHS acquainted with the coast of Waigiou having been 

 left on the island. We therefore took in all saU and 

 allowed oupselves to drift, as we were some miles from the 

 nearest land. A light breeze, however, sprang up, and about 

 midnight we found ourselves again bumping over a conil reef. 

 As it was very dark, and we knew nothing of our position, 

 we could only guess how to get off again, and had there 

 been a little more wind we migtit have been knocked to 

 pieces. However, iu about haJi an hour we did get uti", 

 and then thought it best to anchor on the edge of the 

 reef till morning. Soon atler daylight on the 27th, 

 finding our pmu hacl received no damage, we siiiled on 

 witii uncertain winds and squalls, threading our way 

 among islands and reefs, and guided only by a small map, 

 which was very incorrect and quite useless, and by a 

 general notion of the direction we ought to take. In the 

 afternoon we found a tolenihle anchorage under a small 

 island and stayed for the night, and 1 shot a large Iruit- 

 pigeon new to me, which I have since named Carpophaga 

 tumida. I also saw and shot at the rare white-headed 

 kingfisher (Halcyon saurophaga), but did not kill it. 

 The next morning we saUed on, and having a fair wind 

 reached the shores of the large island of Waigiou. On 

 rounding a point we again ran full on to a coral reef 

 with our mainsail up, but luckily the wind liad almost 

 died away, and with a good deal of exerliion we managed 

 to get safely oJT. 



We now liaii to search for the narrovv channel among 

 the islands, wliich we knew was somewhere hereabuuis. 



