PACIFIC AND BEERING'S STRAIT. 235 



This curious discovery enabled us to form a tole- 

 rably accurate idea of the distance the canoe had 

 been drifted by the gale, as Barrow Island is 420 

 miles in a direct line from Chain Island, their native 

 place ; and if to this be added 100 miles for the pro- 

 gress they made during the first two days toward 

 Maitea, and the distance they went on their return 

 before they reached Barrow Island, the whole cannot 

 amount to much less than 600 miles. 



Before Tinvarri could be restored to his home, we 

 visited in succession several low islands to which he 

 was a stranger. While we were cruising among 

 them he entertained the greatest apprehension lest 

 we had lost our way, and perhaps pictured to him- 

 self a repetition of his disastrous voyage. He could 

 not imagine our motive for pursuing so indirect a 

 course, and frequently inquired if we were going to 

 his native island, and if we knew where it was, oc- 

 casionally pointing in the direction of it. He al- 

 ways boasted of a knowledge of the islands lying 

 between Bow Island (He-ow) and Chain Island 

 (Anaa), but never informed us right when we came 

 to any of them. He had, it is true, reason to be 

 anxious ; for his wife, almost the whole of the pas- 

 sage, was very sea-sick, which gave him great con- 

 cern ; and when the sea was much agitated he ap- 

 peared inconsolable. When he at length arrived 

 within sight of Chain Island, his joy at the certainty 

 of again setting foot on his native soil, and meeting 

 friends who had long supposed him lost, may readi- 

 ly be imagined. His gratitude to us for having 

 given him a passage, and for our attention to his 

 comfort, was expressed in tears of thankfulness; and 

 he testified his regret at parting in a manner which 



CHAP. 

 VIII. 



Feb. 

 1826. 



