TO RADACK. 45 



two entrances : the habitations for tlie day are so 

 large, that from twenty to thirty people have room 

 in them. The house which we visited was filled 

 with utensils of all kinds ; fishing-nets, fish-hooks, 

 lines, vessels of cocoa shells, and the like, lay all in 

 confusion. Its situation made it a pleasant retreat, 

 as it stood in the middle of a small grass-plot, sur- 

 rounded and shaded by bread-fruit trees, which 

 stood so close together that there was no approach 

 to the house but by a narrow footpath. 



This island appeared to us to be older than Goat 

 Island, which we concluded, from the very luxu- 

 riant vegetation, and the deep mould. Here, too, 

 cocoa trees were very scarce, but we every where 

 saw young trees of this kind, just planted ; it 

 seems as if all the islands had been but lately in- 

 habited. After we had, in vain, looked for inha- 

 bitants, we took up our quarters on a green 

 spot, near the shore, and the heat of the day 

 made us all long for the evening. The nights 

 here are uncommonly fine, and have the advan- 

 tage above those in other warm countries, that no 

 dew falls, as the coral islands send forth no exha- 

 lations. You may repose at ease under the starry 

 heavens, refreshed and cooled by the mild monsoon, 

 which blows here, as it is not arrested by any high 

 islands. The kettle with the patent meat as- 

 sembled us to a cheerful meal, and we then lay 

 down on our grass beds. The azure sky was our 

 canopy; Sirius sparkled brightly over our heads, and 



