leaves) to train themselves upon.  After a stay of nearly an hour, we were moving down towards the boat, when the natives made their appearance round the point, coming up in straggling order.  One in advance of the rest came along at a rapid pace with his spear poised, and pointed it at the nearest of our party, when within a few yards of him, with what intention I do not presume to say—­but the natives were evidently in a state of great excitement.  As they might erroneously have supposed that we had been making free with their coconuts and yams, some grass which had been cut for the sheep on board was taken out of the bag and shown them as being intended for our bobo (pigs)—­which they appeared to understand.  The one among them who had yesterday made the allusion to Joannet Island pointed to our guns, talking at the same time with great energy, and making signs as if wishing to see the use of a weapon of whose wonderful effects he had lately heard.  As many swallows were flying about, I told Wilcox—­probably the best shot of the party—­to shoot one, which was done cleverly, and the bird fell at our feet.  The indications of surprise were not so great as I expected to have seen exhibited, but after several more shots had been fired, some with ball along the water, a few of the natives began to show signs of uneasiness and sneaked away.  Old Wadai, however (perhaps feeling perfectly secure under the shelter of his perfect insignificance) and one or two others sat down under a tree beside us, apparently unconcerned, and some of the rest remained on the beach until after our departure.

We did not afterwards land upon Brierly Island, so I may conclude with a short description.  It is not more than half a mile in length, with a central ridge attaining the height of 347 feet, and sloping downwards at each end.  It is well wooded with low trees and brushwood, and mixed up with them there is a profusion of cocoa-palms scattered about in clumps, from the margin of the beach to the shoulders of the hill; long coarse grass, at this time of a beautiful light green tint, covered the remainder.  The usual fringing coral reef surrounds the island, running off to a great distance in one direction.  The greater part of the shore and the projecting points are rocky (where the soft splintery mica slate has been exposed) with occasional sandy beaches.  We saw no fresh water, but the declivities here and there showed deep furrows in the red clayey soil, the effects of torrents after heavy rains.

FORM VOCABULARY.  LANGUAGE OF THE LOUISIADE.

Today and yesterday I obtained in all about 130 words of the language of the Brierly Island people.  The small vocabulary thus formed, the first ever obtained in the Louisiade Archipelago, leads to some interesting results, and fills up one of the gaps in the chain of philological affinities which may afterwards be brought to bear upon the perplexing question—­Whence has Australia been peopled?  Taking the numerals