Account of the Caroline Islands. 115 
father had directed his attention in the days of his childhood. He 
became a member of the Academy of Sciences of St. Petersburgh, 
and one of the directors of its museum. He never had time to pub- 
lish any farther account of his voyage round the world, than the no- 
tice of the Caroline Islands, from which we here make a few extracts. 
Caroline Islands.—They are situated to the south of the Archi- 
pelago of the Larrone, as far as 2 or 3° of north latitude, from the 
Palaos islands to the isle of Ualan, and over a space of about 30° 
of longitude, between 134° and 164° east from Greenwich. 'These 
islands are generally based on coral, but have a variety of soil and 
population. They consist of more than four hundred islands, which 
are arranged in forty six groups, of which Captain Lurxe visited 
twenty six. They are distinguished into high and low islands; 
the most elevated rising to the height of three thousand feet 
above the level of the sea. The low islands are the most numerous. 
The principal vegetable productions of these islands, are the cocoa- 
nut tree, and three or four other palms, the bread fruit tree, which is 
the principal food of the inhabitants, the pandanus, many aroides, 
the bananas, figs, the barringtonia with superb flowers, the sonnerata, 
which often lives quite in the salt water, and the calophylium so re- 
markable forthe beauty of its leaves. No ferocious beasts, or veno- 
mous serpents are known; and the climate, from the proximity of 
the sea, is remarkable for its invigorating freshness. The inhabitants 
are represented as possessing an amiable character, excepting those 
of the high islands, who are addicted to war. The former of these 
are of a stature rather above that of the Malays generally, being 
about five feet, ten inches. They are active, and possessed of a pre- 
possessing physiognomy. ‘Their hair is thick, and of a fine black 
chesnut color; forehead high, although retreating; nose distinet in 
its shape, though large and flat ; mouth very large; lips thick; teeth 
of an ivory whiteness; eyes much cleft, and furnished with beauti- 
ful eye-lashes; the temples compressed ; the chin prominent, with 
a beard sometimes thick, though usually not full. These islanders 
have generally been included within the Malay variety, from which, 
ever, amere coup d’cil is sufficient to distinguish them, 
first interview with the inhabitants of the low islands, took 
place in the Lougounor group. As soon as we arrived.in sight of 
the islands, we saw their canoes pulling off to meet us. Having 
come up with the Seniavine, which was lying to, they took down 
their sails, hailed us, accompanying their words with signs, signify- 
