TO KAMTSCHATKA. 177 



managed. We made them friendly signs to come 

 on board ; but as they only answered by pointing 

 to the land, I gave up all my attempts to open an 

 intercourse with them, and proceeded on my 

 voyage. 



We soon had a very clear view of tlie second, 

 group, which likewise consisted of small islands, 

 joined together by coral reefs, and seemed to con- 

 tain deep water in the middle. This group is 

 separated from the other, by a channel of three 

 miles and a half in length, through which I 

 determined to sail ; a mate, furnished with a good 

 telescope, was to sit at the mast-head, to warn us 

 in time of every danger. We found the channel 

 free from rocks, and of unfathomable depth. At 

 four o'clock in the afternoon we had already sailed 

 round the south point of the group, and had 

 reached the N. W. part, which ended with a long 

 and dangerous reef. This island appears unin- 

 habited ; and though it is thickly covered with 

 trees, not a single palm-tree w^as to be seen. The 

 population of the other group too, cannot be 

 numerous, as we saw only two boats, and very few 

 people on the shore ; at least it cannot be compared 

 to the numerous population of the Penrhyns. I 

 called the first group Kutusoff, and the second 

 Suwaroff, and I felt myself inexpressibly happy, in 

 bein«: the first who had erected an eternal monument 

 in the South Sea to these two men, who had so highly 

 deserved of their country. Both these groups 



VOL. I. N 



