177^. ROUND THE WORLD. 315 



general, every where on their outside, unfathomable ; 

 all their interior parts are covered with water, abound- 

 ing, I have been told, with fish and turtle, on which 

 the inhabitants subsist, and sometimes exchange the 

 latter with the high islanders for cloth, &c. These 

 inland seas would be excellent harbours, were they 

 not shut up from the access of shipping, which is the 

 case with most of them, if we can believe the report 

 of the inhabitants of the other isles. Indeed few of 

 them have been well searched by Europeans ; the 

 little prospect of meeting with fresh water having 

 generally discouraged every attempt of this kind. I, 

 who have seen a great many, have not yet seen an 

 inlet into one. 



This island is situated in the latitude of 15 26', 

 longitude 146 20'. It is five leagues long in the 

 direction of north-north-east and south-south-west, 

 and about three leagues broad. As we drew near 

 the south end, we saw from the mast-head, another 

 of these low isles bearing south-east, distant about 

 four or five leagues, but being to windward we could 

 not fetch it. Soon after a third appeared, bearing 

 south-west by south, for which we steered, and, at two 

 o'clock P. M. reached the east end, which is situated 

 in latitude 15 47' S., longitude 146 30' W. This 

 island extends west-north-west and east-south-east, 

 and is seven leagues long in that direction ; but its 

 breadth is not above two. It is in all respects like the 

 rest ; only here are fewer islots, and less firm land 

 on the reef which incloseth the lake. As we ranged 

 the north coast, at the distance of half a mile, we 

 saw people, huts, canoes, and places built, seemingly 

 for drying of fish. They seemed to be the same sort 

 of people as on Tiookea, and were armed with long 

 spikes like them. Drawing near the west end, we dis- 

 covered another or fourth island, bearing north-north- 

 east. It seemed to be low like the others, and lies 

 west from the first isle, distant six leagues. These 

 four isles I called Palliser's Isles, in honour of my 



