nd I had just observed to Yorke that it would suit us better to live on
than the other, when I came to a dead stop--right in front of us was a
banyan tree, from a low branch of which was suspended a huge cane-work
fishing basket!

In a moment we hid ourselves, and remained quiet for a few minutes,
scanning the surrounding bush carefully to see if there were any further
signs of human occupancy, or the humans themselves. From the appearance
of the basket, however, I judged that it had not been used for many
weeks at least, and had been hung up to prevent its becoming rotten from
lying on the moist, steamy soil.

After satisfying ourselves that there were no natives--in our immediate
vicinity at least--we set out again, proceeding very cautiously, and a
short distance further on struck a dearly-defined native path; this we
followed, and presently came in sight of half a dozen small thatched
huts, under the shelter of two very large trees, from the branches of
which were hanging fish baskets similar to that we had just seen. Most
of the huts, though damaged by the storm, were substantially built, and
evidently had not long been vacated, for in a sort of cleared plot in
front were a number of gaily-coloured crotons, which showed signs of
having been recently tended--the grass had been pulled up around their
roots, &c. In one of the huts we found some smaller fish traps, a number
of fish spears, and two large wooden bowls.

"It's a fishing village, belonging to the niggers on the mainland, I
think," I said to Yorke. "It is quite a common thing for them, both in
New Ireland and New Britain, to have plantations or fishing stations on
many of these small islands off the coast, and they come over three or
four times a year to plant or fish. Let us go on further."

My surmise was correct, for, quite near the huts, was a large taro
plantation, on which great labour and care had been expended. A brief
examination of some of the tubers showed us that they were full grown.
This was not a pleasant discovery, for we knew that the owners might be
expected to put in an appearance at any moment after the gale ceased, in
order to dig them up.

"Well, let us get on, and see what else we can discover," said Yorke,
shouldering his rifle. "The beggars can't get across from the mainland
in such weather as this, so we need not be under any immediate alarm."

By two in the afternoon we had thoroughly examined the whole of the four
islands,