380 SURVEY OF THE INTERTROPICAL 
1820. While I was employed in levelling the theodolite, 
Aug. 10. the gentlemen directed their steps to a flight of 
pelicans that was seen collected upon the beach; 
at their approach the old birds took wing and 
left their unfledged young, to the number of eigh- 
teen or twenty, waddling about the sand, all of 
which were killed and skinned, before we em- 
barked, for the sake of their white down. On the 
islet three very neatly-constructed natives’ huts 
were observed, that, from their appearance, and 
the very recent state of the fish-bones and turtle- 
shells scattered about, had been lately occupied. 
The reef is of circular shape ; the surface is 
formed principally of a rotten, crumbling coral 
rock, and was destitute of shells or any animal 
production, except the beche de mer : of which 
the black sort, (“ batoo ,”) appeared the most 
abundant. 
Among the bearings obtained from this station 
was that of the highest summit of Flinders’s 
Group, which bore S. 61° 26' E. (magnetic), and, 
as a connected bearing, was of considerable im- 
portance to the survey. 
The day was too far advanced to make further 
progress with any advantage ; we, therefore, re- 
n. mained until the following morning, when we 
steered N.N.W., but were soon impeded by a 
very extensive reef, m, that crossed our course. 
