TO KAMTSCHATKA. 151 



water, and my two sailors repeated their hazardous 

 attempt, by taking hold of one end of a rope, tlie 

 other end of which was fastened to the boats, and 

 so effecting a communication with the shore. One 

 now placed himself upon the pram, drew himself 

 along the rope towards the surf, and left it to a 

 rising wave to throw him on shore j the pram was 

 drawn back as soon as the man who had passed 

 over had got firm footing on the beach, and then 

 another began the unsteady passage. At length we 

 were all on shore, except two sailors, who had re- 

 mained in the boats, all of us more or less hurt, 

 as we could not reach the shore without being 

 washed by the surf over a sharp coral bank. That 

 we were all, of course, wet to the skin, is of no 

 consequence in the tropics. We now went, well 

 armed, into the interior of the island, finding traces 

 of men at every step we proceeded ; at length we 

 came to a well trodden foot-path, which fully con- 

 vinced us that the island was inhabited. Looking 

 around on all sides for fear of a surprise, we con- 

 tinued our way, which led us into a grove, the 

 aromatic odours of which refreshed us, and atlength 

 reached a flat spot shaded by palm-trees, where we 

 found a small boat which resembled tliose in the 

 South Sea, being furnished with an outrigger on both 

 sides. We now found ourselves in a most delight- 

 ful spot, about the middle of the island, and being 

 overcome by the heat, sat down under some cocoa- 

 trees, and, for the first time in our voyage, refreshed . 



L 4 



