177^. ROUND THE WOULD, 21 



CHAP. III. 



THE PASSAGE FROM THE FRIENDLY ISLES TO THE NEW 

 HEBRIDES; WITH AN ACCOUNT OF THE DISCOVERY OF 

 TURTLE ISLAND, AND A VARIETY OF INCIDENTS WHICH 

 HAPPENED, BOTH BEFORE AND AFTER THE SHIP ARRIVED 



IN PORT SANDWICH, IN THE ISLAND OF MALLICOLLO. A 



DESCRIPTION OF THE PORT; THE ADJACENT COUNTRY; 

 ITS INHABITANTS, AND MANY OTHER PARTICULARS. 



On the 1st of July, at sun-rise, Amattafoa was still 

 in sight, bearing E. by N. distant twenty leagues. 

 Continuing our course to the west, we, the next day 

 at noon, discovered land bearing N. W. by W. for 

 which we steered ; and, upon a nearer approach, 

 found it to be a small island. At 4 o'clock it bore, 

 from N. W. h W. to N. W. by N. and, at the same 

 time, breakers were seen from the mast-head, ex- 

 tending from W. to S. W. The day being too far 

 spent to make farther discoveries, we soon after 

 shortened sail, hauled the wind, and spent the night 

 making short boards, which, at daybreak, we found 

 had been so advantageous that we were further from 

 the island than we expected, and it was eleven o'clock 

 before we reached the N. W. or lee-side, where 

 anchorage and landing seemed practicable. In order 

 to obtain a knowledge of the former, I sent the 

 master with a boat to sound ; and, in the mean time, 

 we stood on and off with the ship. At this time, four 

 or five people were seen on the reef, which lies round 

 the isle, and about three times that number on the 

 shore. As the boat advanced, those on the reef 

 retired, and joined the others ; and when the boat 

 landed, they all fled to the woods. It was not long 

 before the boat returned, when the master informed 

 me that there were no soundings without the reefi 

 over which, in one place only, he found a boat-chan- 

 nel of six feet water. Entering by it, he rowed in for 

 the shore, thinking to speak with the people, not 



c 3 



