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MY TROPIC ISLE

BY

E. J. BANFIELD

AUTHOR OF "THE CONFESSIONS OF A BEACHCOMBER"

T. FISHER UNWIN

LONDON: ADELPHI TERRACELEIPSIC: INSELSTRASSE 20

1911

TO

MY WIFE

    "What dost thou in this World? The Wilderness
     For thee is fittest place."

MILTON.

    "Taught to live
    The easiest way, nor with perplexing thoughts
    To interrupt sweet life."

MILTON.

PREFACE

Much of the contents of this book was published in the NORTH QUEENSLANDREGISTER, under the title of "Rural Homilies." Grateful acknowledgmentsare due to the Editor for his frank goodwill in the abandonment of hisrights.

Also am I indebted to the Curator and Officers of the Australian Museum,
Sydney, and specially to Mr. Charles Hedley, F.L.S., for assistance in
the identification of specimens. Similarly I am thankful to Mr. J.
Douglas Ogilby, of Brisbane, and to Mr. A. J. Jukes-Browne, F.R.S.,
F.G.S., of Torquay (England).

THE AUTHOR.

CONTENTS

CHAPTER.

I. IN THE BEGINNINGII. A PLAIN MAN'S PHILOSOPHYIII. MUCH RICHES IN A LITTLE ROOMIV. SILENCESV. FRUITS AND SCENTSVI. HIS MAJESTY THE SUNVII. A TROPIC NIGHTVIII. READING TO MUSICIX. BIRTH AND BREAKING OF CHRISTMASX. THE SPORT OF FATEXI. FIGHT TO A FINISHXII. SEA WORMS AND SEA CUCUMBERSXIII. SOME MARINE NOVELTIESXIV. SOME CURIOUS BIVALVESXV. BARRIER REEF CRABSXVI. THE BLOCKADE OF THE MULLETXVII. WET SEASON DAYSXVIII. INSECT WAYSXIX. INTELLIGENT BIRDSXX SWIFTS AND EAGLESXXI. SOCIALISTIC BIRDSXXII. SHARKS AND RAYSXXIII. THE RECLUSE OF RATTLESNAKEXXIV. HAMED OF JEDDAHXXV. YOUNG BARBARIANS AT PLAYXXVI. TOM AND HIS CONCERNSXXVII. DEBILS-DEBILSXXVIII. TO PARADISE AND BACKXXIX. THE DEATH BONE

ILLUSTRATIONS(Not included in this eBook)

"AT ONE STRIDE COMES THE DARK"
    Photo by Caroline Hordern
COCONUT AVENUE
    Photo by Caroline Hordern
THE BUNGALOW
FERN OF GOD
PARASITIC FERN
THE COVE, PURTABOI
BRAMMO BAY, FROM GARDEN
PANDANUS PALM
PECTINARIAN TUBES
CLAM SHELL (Tridaena gigas) EMBEDDED IN CORAL
FIRE FISH (Pterois lunulata).
TRIGGER FISH (Balistapus aculeatus)
CORALS
EGG CAPSULES OF BAILER SHELL
DEVELOPMENT OF BAILER SHELL
EGG CAPSULES OF MOLLOSC, ATTACHED TO FAN CORAL
HARLEQUIN PIGFISH (Kiphocheilus fasciatus)
"FAERY LANDS FORLORN," TIMANA.
NEST OF GREEN TREE ANT
MATCH-BOX BEANS
PALL-KOO-LOO
WHERE SWIFTLETS BUILD
SWIFTLETS' NESTS
    H. Barnes, Jun., Photo. Australian Museum
UMBRELLA TREE (Brassaia actinophylla)
    Photo by Caroline Hordern
HAMED OF JEDDAH
BLACKS' TOYS—1. PIAR-PIAR; 2. BIRRA-BIRRA-GOO; 3. PAR-GIR-AH
TURTLE ROCK, PURTABOI
DISGUISES OF CRABS
WYLO DEFIANT
THE DEATH

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