46 FROM THE SANDWICH ISLANDS 



a fine warm air breathed around us. The senti- 

 nels were placed as in the preceding night, and we 

 had only to defend ourselves against the attacks 

 of the rats. I awoke as the day was dawning, and 

 enjoyed the rising of the sun ; never did it appear 

 to me to rise more majestically from the ocean, 

 than on this low island : night was still hovering 

 over the deep, a golden mist on the edge of the 

 horizon announced the approach of the " king of 

 day ;" in a few seconds, he appeared in all his 

 splendour, and the ocean, reflecting his radiance, 

 afforded a most enchanting prospect. 



On the 16th of January, we were already on our 

 way again ; at six o'clock in the morning, the faint 

 wind, and the coolness of the morning, permitted 

 us to row briskly. AVhen we reached the ninth 

 island, the nature of the bottom allowed us to an- 

 chor, though not so conveniently as in Christmas 

 Harbour. The higher the sun rose, the fresher the 

 wind became, and we did not reach till noon the 

 thirteenth island, having proceeded four miles from 

 our night's quarters. Here we refreshed ourselves 

 by a meal, and my sailors, whom I did not wish to 

 expose to the fatiguing labour in the burning 

 sun, rested for a few hours. The island was only 

 a mile in circumference, and uninhabited j at least 

 we neither discovered huts, nor reservoirs for 

 water. A reef extends to the south, by which a 

 small harbour was formed on the south-west part, 

 which is protected towards the east. We climbed 



