A discontinuous silicon layer was produced on (011̅2) oriented sapphire. The early growth of silicon was examined by transmission electron microscopy. During a very short time of deposition, it is shown that islands of {100} orientation had nearly square or rectangular forms. We observed a very rapid decrease of {100} crystallite density together with a nearly constant {110} crystallite density. The lattice of epitaxial Si layers was measured to be distorted in the very early stage of the growth. The interfacial shear strain is calculated. The distortion of the silicon lattice decreases with growing time.