very favoured district, as "Very fine country--much plenty
water--fine country;" thus comprehending in the certain supply of that
one necessary of life, the chief, nay almost the sole condition essential
to a happy land.

SKELETON POINT.

We named this Skeleton Point from our finding here the remains of a
native, placed in a semi-recumbent position under a wide spreading gum
tree, enveloped, or more properly, shrouded, in the bark of the papyrus.
All the bones were closely packed together, the larger being placed
outside, and the general mass surmounted by the head, resting on its
base, the fleshless, eyeless skull grinning horribly over the right side.
Some of the natives arrived shortly after we had discovered this curious
specimen of their mode of sepulture; but although they entertain peculiar
opinions upon the especial sanctity of the house appointed for all
living--a sanctity we certainly were not altogether justified in
disregarding--they made no offer of remonstrance at the removal of the
mortal remains of their dead brother. Whether here, as in the
neighbourhood of Fremantle, they regarded us as near kindred of their own
under a new guise, and so perhaps might suppose that we took away the dry
bones in order to rebuild the frame of which they before formed the
support, and to clothe the hideous nakedness of death with the white
man's flesh; or whether, deeming us indeed profane violators of that last
resting-place of suffering humanity, which it seems an almost instinctive
feeling to regard with reverence, they left the office of retribution
either to the spirit of the departed, or the more potent boyl-yas--to be
found upon the testimony of Miago in the wicked north--I know not;
certain it is that under the superintendence of Mr. Bynoe the removal was
effected, and that the skeleton itself, presented by that officer to
Captain Grey, was by him bestowed upon the Royal College of Surgeons, in
whose museum it is now to be found.

Among the ornithological specimens obtained here was one of the curlew
tribe, greatly resembling an ibis, and remarkable for its size. It
measured from the extremity of the bill to the tip of the toe 27 1/2
inches, and weighed 1 pound 14 1/2 ounces. The colour, with the exception
of the belly and legs, which were of a dirty white slightly mottled, very
much resembled that of the common English wild duck.

KILEYS.

One of the natives seen to-day had with him a kiley, so different in