which, as explained by the Rev. Mr. Chalmers, who had joined our party, would burst into leaf in another month's time. The Torres Straits pigeons, at certain seasons, settle here in thousands for rest, on their passage to and from the northern parts of Australia. Opposite the Vari Varu group, on the New Guinea coast, is Red Scar Head, easily discernible by three trees growing on its otherwise bare brow, and a characteristic red patch, visible a long way off, whence the locality takes its name. Galley Reach, the mouth of the Manu Manu river, is passed at 11 a.m., and we could discern the village and mission station at the entrance. Shortly afterwards we sighted three rocks ahead, under the lee of which is our proposed anchorage for the night. These huge boulders are named by the natives Ke Keni (the daughters), from a legend that their parentage is derived from the mountains inland, but Jack, less imaginative and geological, has christened them "Skittle Rocks." As eight bells struck we anchored in five fathoms of water, about two miles from shore, and nearly abreast the Aroa river, one of several streams taking their source among the foot-hills of the Owen Stanley Ranges, and contributing (especially during the N.W. Monsoon) a great volume of fresh water to Red Scar Bay, materially checking the growth of coral. Hence the reef loses its distinctive character here-abouts, and is merely indicated in the chart as the probable trend of the sunken barrier, at a considerable distance from the coast. The swell of the ocean, where not broken by the "Skittle Rocks," comes in here with great force and causes a heavy surf on the bar of the Aroa, especially at low tides. Two of our party, Mr. Romilly and Mr. Askwith, afforded us considerable anxiety by starting out after luncheon with Charles Kidd, a coast pilot, and one of the petty officers of the guard, in the ship's dingy for the purpose of fishing. Hoisting the ill-fitting sail in the tiny boat, away they scudded before the wind, towards the bar, anxiously watched by the skipper, who last saw them right in the midst of the heavy breakers. As night came on and they did not return much anxiety was felt about them, and, notwithstanding the coast pilot's well-known skill, we were not reassured as to their safety until the following day.
