196 Nov.-Dec. 1854 Loo Choo the flats near Mappa eight or ten species of Sandpipers or plovers might often be seen at once, feeding or flying along the shore in small flocks; and I once fired into a flock of Curlews which must have contained more than an hundred individuals. A species of Spoonbill is found here, which we did not procure. The excursions up the beach was an oft-repeated one from its convenience and certainty. Unacquainted with the roads, one might easily lose his way, whereas from the beach short diversions into the country were easily made, and once on the beach again, the way home was plain. In proceeding up, sev- eral small streams were to be crossed, at some of which there were bridges, at others none: two or three villages embowered in trees and canes were met with and other objects of interest. At a small police station (?) built of matting we were often invited to stop to rest our limbs and smoke a friendly pipe, for the length of our excursions in this di- rection were never limited by the officials, 197 Nov.-Dec. 1854 Loo Choo My collecting and describing apparatus being ashore, my evenings, on board ship were chiefly spent in reading the works of an American author from which I derived great pleasure. On the first Sunday after our arrival here we had service on board and a sermon by Mr Moreton, the English Missionary here. The Revd Mr. is a man of pleasant manners, mild and Christian- like; he is accompanied by his wife and child- dren and is at present the only mis- sionary here. He is now devoting him-self to the attainment of the language, having been here only a few months. His predecessor, Dr Betthekeim, who was here eight years, appears to have had little success in converting these people of Loo Choo, as it is thought that there is not even a single native Christian on the island. Dr B. however has, it is supposed gained a vast amount of valuable information concerning the language, manners and customs and history of these islands, which he will take opportunity to publish. While at this part occasion was taken to stop the look in the storm; the