14^ FROM THE SANDWICH ISLANDS 



continued our way veiy quickly, without missing 

 the least bending or opening of the reef. The 

 chain lay to the north of us, at the distance of six 

 miles ; the way thither was saved us by the reef, 

 which was two fathoms broad j upon the other side 

 of it the water was smooth, and the depth appeared 

 considerable. As far as we could see, the reef 

 extended to S.E., and we observed, at the end of 

 it, from the mast-head, a small island lying higher 

 than the rest, and which probably united with the 

 reef. At last, to our great joy, we discovered two 

 passages, through which we hoped to be able to 

 pass with the Rurick, though they were very nar- 

 row. This discovery, which is important, not only 

 to us, but to every navigator, would certainly have 

 been passed over by us, had we not approached 

 the reef within musket-shot. It was too late to 

 make any examination to-day, and we left our 

 dangerous situation for the night. 



The 5th of January. Latitude 9° 27' 55" N., 

 longitude 190° 11' 30''. The current had carried 

 us so far to N.W. during the night that we could 

 not see any land ; we however again got sight of 

 the island at seven o'clock, and at nine were at 

 the same point we left yesterday. I now sent 

 Lieutenant SchischmarefF to explore the most 

 northern of the two passages, in which he found a 

 considerable depth, but judged it impossible to 

 force the ship in, as the fair way or channel was 

 seldom more than fifty fathoms broad, made con- 



