348 
MEET NATIVES. 
over densely scrubby and sandy ridges, occasionally 
crossing large sheets of oolitic limestone, in which 
were deep holes that would ifiost likely retain water 
after rains, but which were now quite dry. As the 
daylight dawned the dreadful nature of the scrub 
drove us to the sea beach ; fortunately it was low 
water, and we obtained a firm hard sand to travel 
over, though occasionally obstructed by enormous 
masses of sea- weed, thrown into heaps of very many 
feet in thickness and several hundreds of yards in 
length, looking exactly like hay cut and pressed 
ready for packing. 
To-day we overtook the natives, whose tracks we 
had seen so frequently on our route. There was a 
large party of them, all busily engaged in eating the 
red berries which grew behind the coast ridge in 
such vast quantities ; they did not appear so much 
afraid of us as of our horses, at which they were dread- 
fully alarmed, so that all our efforts to communicate 
with them were fruitless ; they would not come near 
us, nor would they give us the opportunity of getting- 
near them, but ran away whenever I advanced towards 
them, though alone and unarmed. During the route 
I frequently ascended high scrubby ridges to recon- 
noitre the country inland, but never could obtain a 
view of any extent, the whole region around ap- 
peared one mass of dense impenetrable scrub running 
down to the very borders of the ocean. 
After travelling twenty miles I found that our 
horses needed rest, and halted for an hour or two 
