GREAT COCO ISLAND AGAIN 137 



The sea at the 683-fathom station was full of little 

 balls of beautiful blue fire, which in the still undis- 

 sipated gloom of early dawn shone like stars. We 

 took some up with the tow-net, and found them to be 

 the well-known Thalassicolla. 



On returning to the Coco Islands from Port Blair, 

 where we had been joined by Dr Prain, of the Cal- 

 cutta Botanic Gardens, Dr Prain and I were once 

 more marooned on Great Coco, this time at the 

 southern end of the island. We pitched our tent in 

 open ground under some coconut palms, among the 

 sprouting nuts of a new generation, and as before, 

 we had to assist us in our explorations a venerable 

 native botanical collector of scholastic appearance, two 

 lascars in blue, and a jolly-boat. Here for nine happy 

 days we lived serene, breathing the clean, salt air of 

 our own unrivalled domain, wresting their unfailing 

 treasures from the reef and jungle, and filling up the 

 storehouse of experience with facts and fancies for 

 future use and delight. But my fair records are 

 blotted by the memory of one black crime ; for I lay 

 in ambush for the blameless wild cattle of that island 

 paradise, and in cold blood I slew an innocent young 

 bull for the sake of beef. I can only plead that there 

 were five men to feed ; nor did anyone lack of the 

 equal feast. 



I have already said something of the natural 

 history of Great Coco Island. Here, at the southern 



