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huts, now fallen into decay. These huts are to be seen all round the district & are very interesting in their way. They usually consist of one storey, the floor of which is raised from 4 to 8 feet above the ground. This floor is made of split bamboo or some other light material. The roof descends almost to the ground & is made of plaited palm leaves. Idols & totems abound & various examples of crude art in the shape of roughly carved doorposts etc are frequently to be seen.
Wednesday 7th : At about 7.30 last night a telephone message from the lighthouse was received stating that lights were visible at sea & that morse signals were being sent from Gragat Island (to the north of the entrance). I immediately hurried out and found the guard in a state of mild excitement. After waiting some time I picked up the light at sea apparently being used as a signal; there were no steaming lights visible. The lights on Gragat, however, were simply the fires of the native fishermen. I decided to remain at the lighthouse for the night. It was the first time I had been out there after dark & it struck me as a very uncanny place. The building itself is simply a wooden structure of three tiers the top floor containing the light & is exposed on all sides to the weather. At the base is a small room built of galvanised iron which has evidently been used as a shelter for the natives detailed to attend the lamp. It is about 12 feet from the water's edge & the uprights are let into the canal which is here very sharp & jagged. The sea breaks continually over the shelter & if there is a swell of any size the spray goes right over the top of the building. Along the edge of the foam countless fireflies (or rather beetles) flit about giving a very