174 ADMIRAL d'eNTRECASTEAUX. 



L'Esperance^ during- his voyag'e in search of the 

 unfortunate La Perouse, came in sio*ht of Rossel 

 Island. The hills of that island were enveloped in 

 clouds^ and the lower parts appeared to be thickly 

 wooded with verdant interspaces. A harbour was 

 supposed to exist in the deep bay on the north coast 

 of Eossel Island^ but access to it was found to be 

 prevented by a line of breakers extending^ to the 

 westward as far as the eye could reach. D'Entre- 

 casteaux passed Piron's Island^ which he named^ 

 as well as various others^ and on St. Aig*nan^s 

 observed several huts^ and the first inhabitants of 

 the Louisiade whom they had seen^ for^ at Renard's 

 Isles^ a boat sent close in to sound^ had observed no 

 indications of natives^ althoug'h smoke was after- 

 wards seen rising* from the largest of the gToup. 

 At the Bonvouloir Islands^ they had the first com- 

 munication with the natives^ who came off in a very 

 larg*e canoe and several others which approached 

 near enoug'h for one of the officers of L^Esj)erance 

 to swim off to them. The natives shewed much 

 timidity and could not be induced to come on board 

 the frig-ate. Some sweet potatoes and bananas 

 were g-iven in return for various presents. No arms 

 were seen among- them^ and these people did not 

 appear to understand the use of iron.* The re- 

 mainder of the voyag-e does not require further 



* Voyage de [Bruny] d'Eiitrecasteaux envoye a la recherclie de 

 la Perouse. Redige par M. de Rossel, ancien Capitaiue de Vais- 

 scau, torn. i. p. 405, et seq. See also Atlas. 



