177^. ROUND THE WORLD. 97 



&c. In one was a stout robust young man, whom 

 they understood to be a chief. After getting within 

 the reef, we hauled up S. £ E. for a small low sandy 

 isle that we observed lying under the shore, being 

 followed by all the canoes. Our sounding, in 

 standing in, was from fifteen to twelve fathoms, (a 

 pretty even fine sandy bottom,) for about two miles ; 

 then we had six, five, and four fathoms. This was 

 on the tail of a shoal which lies a little without the 

 small isle to the N. E. Being over it, we found 

 seven and eight fathoms water, which shallowed 

 gradually, as we approached the shore, to three 

 fathoms, when we tacked, stood off a little, and then 

 anchored in five fathoms, the bottom a fine sand 

 mixed with mud. The little sandy isle bore E. by S. 

 three quarters of a mile distant ; and we were one 

 mile from the shore of the main, which extended 

 from S. £. by E. round by the south to W. N. W. 

 The island of Balabea bore N. W. by N., and the 

 channel, through which we came, north, four miles 

 distant. In this situation we were extremely well 

 sheltered from the reigning winds, by the sandy isle 

 and its shoals, and by the shoal without them. 



We had hardly got to an anchor before we were 

 surrounded by a great number of the natives, in 

 sixteen or eighteen canoes, the most of whom were 

 without any sort of weapons. At first they were 

 shy of coming near the ship ; but in a short time 

 we prevailed on the people in one boat to get close 

 enough to receive some presents. These we lowered 

 down to them by a rope ; to.which, in return, they 

 tied two fish that stunk intolerably, as did those they 

 gave us in the morning. These mutual exchanges 

 bringing on a kind of confidence, two ventured on 

 board the ship ; and presently after she was filled 

 with them, and we had the company of several at 

 dinner in the cabin. Our pea-soup, salt-beef, and 

 pork, they had no curiosity to taste ; but they eat of 

 some yams, which we happened to have yet left, calling 



vol. IV. h 



