we caught glimpses of other similar bays.
Scarcely a ripple broke on the beach, so we ran the boat up on the sand,
and jumped on shore. Not a sign of human beings or of inhabitants of
any sort had we yet seen. Having hauled up the boat, we therefore
proceeded without hesitation towards the summit of the peak, that we
might enjoy amore extensive view of the surrounding scenery. There are
two sorts of turtle found on the shores of the islands of these seas--
the hawk-billed and the green turtle--Mr Henley told me. From the
former the tortoise-shell, so valuable for making combs and other
articles, is taken; but the flesh is considered poisonous. The shell of
the green turtle is of comparatively little value, but then the flesh is
excellent, and it was this turtle we wished to catch. It, however,
comes on shore to lay its eggs chiefly at night, while the hawk-bill
lands in the day-time for that purpose. Had we known this we should
have waited till the evening to pay our visit to the island. It was
only when we asked the blacks why we saw no turtle that we ascertained
the fact. Still, as there appeared every chance of the continuance of
the calm, we agreed to wait till the evening that we might capture some
of the green species. Both lay many hundred eggs, and deposit them in
large holes which they make with their flappers in the sand. Having
with the same implements covered up the eggs, they leave them to be
hatched by the rays of the sun, which strike down with great force on
the white sand; indeed, the heat I should have thought would have been
enough to bake them. Probably the moisture coming through the sand
prevents this, and keeps up a regular temperature. As we advanced we
came to an open space, in which grew a clump of tall trees, which Mr
Henley looked at with much interest.

"I have seen such before at the Seychelles," he remarked. "We are about
the latitude of those islands. These trees are some of the rare and
celebrated coco de mer. See, they must be nearly a hundred feet high,
and little more than twelve or thirteen inches in diameter. There is
scarcely any difference in their size to the very top, where observe
that curious crown of leaves, which has the fruit--the double
cocoa-nut--inside it. If there was a breeze we should see the trees
bending about like whips, of so flexible a nature is the stem."

We calculated that each leaf was upwards of twenty feet long, including
the petioles or