in the interior of one of these islands, he was roused by the
approaching footsteps of his enemy. Seeing the man close to him, with
upraised club over his head, he dropped into the water. This was so
shallow as not to protect him from the stones that were hurled at him
from all sides, and so small that he was completely surrounded. Finding
his retreat cut off he boldly stood up and seemed deliberately to scan
the most practicable mode of breaking his way through us all, but he was
so incessantly plied with stones as entirely to distract him. When a
well-aimed blow struck him he wreaked his vengeance on the stone, and,
diving after it to the bottom, gnashed upon it with his teeth. At last a
gun was brought by one of the party and a well-directed shot under the
ear laid him dead. Rock oysters of a large size and delicious flavour
were found in great abundance. Range of thermometer 67 to 82 degrees.

On Sunday the 12th continued to explore the several islands; unable to
land upon the first we approached on account of a reef which ran all
round it. This was one which lay at the north-east extremity of the
Horseshoe. It was high and sandy, but with some vegetation on the
surface, and we saw many large seals sleeping on the sandy beach. After
this, visited five or six in succession, all of the same formation, some
being mere masses of loose coral and dead shells.

SINGULAR CORAL FORMATIONS.

In passing from island to island we had many opportunities of observing
the different formation and shape of several species of coral; some stood
in masses of the brain-stone and cockscomb coral, some like petrified
sponge, some like fans, some again of the branch-coral interlaced and
intertwined in every direction; again, some broad flat masses lying layer
over layer, like huge sea-lichens, again many presented the appearance of
a fungus or great sea-mushroom, with a broad-spreading head springing
from a small thick base. It is not a little singular that many of the
growing islets which are nearly level with the surface of the water have
a similar form, not rising from the bottom with a perpendicular side, but
with broad overhanging heads resting upon a small base. In many places we
passed over some of these isolated sea-mushrooms, upon which there was
barely water for a small boat, where one step over the ledge would be in
the deep sea, and you might see the hollows underneath as if looking
under an umbrella. Birds were abundant on mos