52 November 1853 Simons Bay job stay fastening to the stem, and the foot of the mainsail reaching only to the taffrail, there being no main-boom. The small ves- sels used in trading along the coast are cutters-rigged. At least one-third of the popula- tion of the vicinity of Simons Bay are colored people, of which more than half are Malayas (Malays). There seem to retain many of the cus- toms of their own country, for they hold regular meetings for self-tor- ture and worship of their Gods, and invariably wear the Chinese hat which is some two feet in diameter and looks like the tip of a pagoda. I saw one of these men run a darning-needle twice through his own tongue - for a sixpence each from three of us. Mr. Storer gave me a large mole (a foot or more in length) which Mr. Stuart jr and himself had killed near its hole. This explained to me the origin of the larger piles 53 November 1853 Simons Bay of cylinders of sand which I had seen in such abundance in some regions, especially near Constantia. These piles were often a foot in height, and consisted of sand which, when not broken, could be seen to have been passed through a tube of same kind. This is the sand thrown or rather pushed up by the mole in digging its holes. The time for our departure was now near at hand; the "J. Hancock" and "J. Cooper" having sailed on Oct. 21st. Lt. Van Mycke submitted to me some twenty or forty well prepared bird-skins, of many species, which he had recently collected. Many of these, a dozen or more, were species not yet in the collection, and among them were some remarkable species. On the 5th the Squadron was put un- der sailing orders, and no further com- munication with the shore was allowed. But contrary winds detained us until the morning of the 7th when we casted the anchor at 5 o'clock and stood out of False Bay, and to the S. with a fair wind.