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CHAPTER YIIL 
Miatau Islands — ^Probable Origin of some Stories about Sea-serpents — 
Alceste Island— Seals — Fishing Connorant— The Blue Roek-pigeon 
— Kala-hai — A Fishing Party — Bustards— Snake-like Fishes — Gulf 
of Pecheli — Strange-looking Craft — Native Fishermen — A Shower 
of Beetles— The Black Surf-Duck. 
While on board the ship of which I was sur- 
geon, an incident occurred which, I think, deserv^es 
to be recorded as an illustration of optical delusion 
that might have become a source of error, and given 
rise to yet another story of the famed sea-serpent. 
We w’-ere sailing among the islands of the Miatau 
group, at the entrance of the Gulf of Pecheli. 
There was little vdnd, and gentle ripples covered 
the surface of the sea. I was sipping my Congou 
at the open port of the ward-room on the main 
deck, and while 1 was admiring the setting sun, 
watching the rounded outlines of the blue moun- 
tains and distant islands against the sky, and 
H 
