This paper presents the results of measurements of the growth of gold on rocksalt when the incident atoms, obtained by sputtering ejection, have energies of approximately 20 ev atom^-1. The results are compared with those obtained using thermal evaporation sources, when the incident atoms have energies of the order of 0·3 ev atom^-1.The effect of the high arrival energy is manifested in an increased saturation island density (numbers of discrete groups of atoms per unit substrate area) and a change in the orientation of the deposit. The results are discussed in terms of incomplete thermal accommodation and production of atypical adsorption sites on the substrate.