258 CAPTAIN DE LANGLE. . 
very thickly peopled. Ojalava surpasses any 
that I have seen, even Tahaiti itself, in luxu- 
riant beauty. The landscape of Pola is ma- 
jestic; the whole island is one large, high, 
round mountain, which strikingly resembles the 
Mauna-roa upon the island of Owahy: it is not 
quite so lofty indeed as the latter, but its alti- 
tude is about the same as that of the Peak of 
Teneriffe. 
All the islands of the South Sea are more or 
less formed of coral reefs, which make secure 
harbours; the Navigators’ Islands only are not 
indebted to these active little animals for this 
advantage. We sailed round all their coasts, 
and could find but one open bay, which runs 
far inland in the island of Maouna, opposite 
the small island already noticed off its north- 
east point. 
The inhabitants of these islands are still far 
less civilized than were the 'Tahaitians when 
first discovered by Wallis. Those of Maouna 
especially are perhaps the most ferocious people 
to be met with in the South Sea. It was they 
who murdered Captain de Langle, the com- 
mander of the second ship under La Pérouse, 
