236 AVOYAGETO 



'77r- great many mangroves, and the firft a vaft number of the 



< ^-L^ faitanoo trees already mentioned. There feem to be no rocks, 



or Hones, of any kind, about the illand, that are not coral ; 

 except in one place, to the right of the fandy beach, where 

 there is a rock twenty or thirty feet high, of a calcareous 

 fl:one,of a yellowifl-i colour, and a very clo(e texture. But even 

 about that place, which is the higheft part of the land, are 

 large pieces of the fame coral rock that compofes the fliore; 



Befides walking frequently up into the country, which we 

 were permitted to do without interruption, we fometimes 

 amufed ourfelves in fliooting wild ducks, not unlike the 

 widgeon, which are very numerous upon the fait lake, and 

 the pool where we got our water. In thefe excurlions, we 

 found the inhabitants had often deferted their houfes to 

 come down to the trading place, without entertaining any 

 fufpicion, that ftrangers, rambling about, would take away» 

 or deftroy, any thing that belonged to them. But though, 

 from this circumftance, it might be fuppofed that the 

 greater part of the natives were fometimes collected at the 

 beach, it was impoffible to form any accurate computation 

 of their number ; as the continual refort of vifiters from 

 other iflands, mixing with them, might eafily miflead one; 

 However, as there was never, to appearance, above a thou- 

 fand perfons collecT;ed at one time, it would, perhaps, be 

 fufficient to allow double that number for the whole ifland. 

 The place where fuch numbers aflembled daily, and the 

 bay where our boats landed, are faithfully reprefented in a. 

 drawing by Mr. V/ebber. 



To the North and North Eaft of Annamooka, and in the 



diredl track to Hapaee, whither we were now bound, the fea 



is fprinkled with a great number of fmall ifles. Amidft the 



llioals and rocks adjoining to this group, I could not be 



4^. ailured 



