162 FROM CONCEPTION BAY 



On the 30th, at three o'clock in the afternoon, 

 we observed Penrhyn's islands, the nature of which 

 appeared to us to correspond with the other coral 

 islands. At five o'clock, when we were still three 

 miles distant from the southern part of this group of 

 islands, we could plainly distinguish that it was also 

 connected by coral reefs, and formed a circle with 

 a lake in the middle, from which many rocks arose. 

 We were very much astonished to find these 

 islands covered with a thick wood of cocoa-trees ; 

 but we were agreeably surprized to see columns of 

 smoke ascending, which indicated to us that this 

 little, and very remote group of islands was inha- 

 bited. With the assistance of our telescopes, which 

 we directed to the shore, we soon discovered 

 people running about, and only the setting sun 

 induced us to postpone our examination till the 

 following morning. We tacked near the land in 

 the most delicious weather, and rejoiced at the in- 

 numerable bonetos which surrounded the Rurick. 

 On the 1st of May we tried to get under the lee 

 of the group, and, if possible, to effect a landing in 

 a calm sea. Already, at eight o'clock, we found 

 ourselves in still water, only a couple of miles from 

 the shore ; and now we could see plainly many 

 people running about, others hastily pushing their 

 boats from the shore, while others, from the more 

 distant islands, were already making their way to- 

 wards us. The population appeared to me so nu- 

 merous, in proportion to the island, that I cannot, 



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