90 FROiM RADACK TO 



We were soon enabled plainly to overlook it, and 

 found it considerably smaller than Otdia. Its^ 

 length is twenty-four and its breadth four miles. 

 The whole circle consists of one reef, and contains 

 but very few islands, which are clearly laid down 

 in the chart,* At four o'clock we were near the 

 southern point of the group, which closes with the 

 largest island ; and this, probably, bears the name 

 of Eregup ; at least it was the only one on which we 

 saw cocoa-trees and inhabitants. I could not now 

 avoid giving credit to the assertion of Lagediacky 

 that it was inhabited by only three people, as even 

 the appearance of our ship did not attract more to 

 the shore. I dispatched Lieutenant SchischmarefT 

 to examine a passage near to us ; but he soon re- 

 turned with the news, that it might perhaps be na- 

 vigable, but dangerous, on account of the numerous 

 turnings, and could not be passed, except with a 

 west wind. On this information, I gave up the 

 further examination of this group, which seemed 

 to me not worth spending much time upon : the 

 survey was concluded, and at seven o'clock we 

 sailed round the southern point. We now tried 

 to get the weather gage to the N., to sail with a 

 S. E. course direct to the island group of Kawen, 

 which, according to Lagediack's statement, must 

 lie to the E. We could not find the strait on the 

 north point of Eregup, which he marked. I called 

 this group after our former minister of the marine^ 

 * Vide Chart of the chain of^slands of Radack and Ralick. 



