PACIFIC AND BEERTNG'S STRAIT. 141 



to rim out to the length of about ten fathoms, and 

 when the dolphins were near, speed was given to the 

 canoe, that the bait might have the appearance of a 

 fish endeavouring to escape pursuit. In this manner 

 several were taken at no great distance from us. If 

 the fish happened to be large, the line was carefully 

 drawn in, and they were harpooned with an instru- 

 ment which every canoe carried for the purpose. 



We stood towards Loo Choo, accompanied by seve- 

 ral of these canoes, until within a few miles of the land, 

 when fearing to be seen from the shore, they quitted 

 us, first making signs for us to go round to the other 

 side of the island. 



About sunset the wind left us close off the south 

 extremity of the Great Loo Choo ; and all the next day 

 it was so light that the boats were obliged to tow the 

 ship toward the harbour. This slow progress would have 

 been far less tedious had we been able to see distinctly 

 the coimtry we were passing, and the villages situated 

 in the bays at the back of the reefs ; but this prospect 

 was unfortunately destroyed by a dense haze which 

 rendered every distant object indistinct, and tantalized 

 our expectations by the variety of fallacious appear- 

 ances it created. Our course, until four o'clock in 

 the afternoon, was along the western side of Loo 

 Choo, between it and a reef lying about midway be- 

 tween this western shore and the Kirrama islands. 

 About that time we arrived off Abbey Point, and 

 were entering the harbour of Napakiang, guided by 

 our charts, when we were obliged to drop the anchor 

 to avoid striking upon a coral bank, with only seven 

 feet water on its shallowest part. Upon examination 

 we found that this bank, which had hitherto escaped 



