260 
CRUISE OF H.M.S. CHALLENGER. 
Point d’Urville, and is supposed to drain the northern 
slopes of the Charles Louis Mountains. It was dark 
as we anchored off Cape Bonpland, and at first the 
only signs of natives were the numerous lights, which 
formed a kind of illumination all round the shores of 
the bay. 
After a while some voices were heard, and by the 
light of lanterns a canoe was seen alongside, manned 
by a few dark forms clad only in their ornaments, 
consisting of white cockatoo feathers stuck in their 
woolly hair, or wreaths of bright scarlet flowers. 
