152 FROM CONCEPTION BAY 



ourselves with the milk of this fruit. I felt inex- 

 pressibly happy in this small spot ; inconsiderable 

 as the discovery might be in itself, yet I would not 

 have resigned the pure and heartfelt joy which it 

 gave me, for the treasures of a world. After we 

 had refreshed ourselves a little, we began our 

 journey again, and found some uninhabited huts, in 

 which there were several articles, the workmanship 

 of the savages ; and left European goods instead. 

 We no where found fresh traces of men ; and some 

 poles, with fishing-nets hanging on them, confirmed 

 me in my conjectures, that the islanders came here 

 at a certain season of the year, for the sake of the 

 fishery. We had traversed the island from north 

 to south in four hours, and, on our return, met with 

 several well-made reservoirs, in which was water of 

 a good taste. It is well known that there are no 

 springs in the coral islands, on which account the 

 inhabitants must content themselves with rain- 

 water, which they collect in large pits dug for the 

 purpose. When we had arrived at our landing- 

 place, I had a bottle of wine opened ; which we 

 drank, with loud cheers, to the health of Count 

 RomanzofF, and called the island by his name. 

 Our boats adorned themselves with flags, and fired 

 several guns, and the Rurick, expecting this signal, 

 hoisted the imperial flag, and fired her guns, during 

 which we drank to the health of our beloved Em- 

 peror. We reached our boats with the same diffi- 

 culty as we had landed, and at two o'clock in the 



