THE ST. LAWRENCE ISLANDS. 101 



fine coral sand is found : no coral banks here im- 

 pede the navigation as at Otdia. In the afternoon 

 we reached the little island, called by the natives 

 Tjan, beautifully planted with cocoa-trees, where 

 numerous huts and people indicated great popu- 

 lation. We approached it within a couple of hun- 

 dred fathoms, and found a convenient anchorage 

 covered by a reef towards the east, where we 

 dropped anchor, for the purpose of stopping a 

 day to become acquainted with the inhabitants. 

 Labadeny, who had followed us in his boat, now 

 came on board, and urged me to sail to the island 

 of Torua, lying more to the east, because, though 

 this one also belonged to him, it was not his usual 

 residence. I pacified him by a promise to go there 

 to-morrow for certain, and now proceeded on shore 

 with him. The nature of the coast is such, that 

 you cannot get to it without wetting your feet. 

 Labadeny had the civility to carry me upon his 

 back ; and the strange sight of their chief panting 

 for breath under the weight of a white man, drew 

 many islanders to the spot. After he had happily 

 set me down on the shore, he made a long speech 

 to his people, of which I could only understand 

 that he announced me as a mighty Tamon; after 

 this he took hold of me, and conducted me into the 

 interior of the island, into a very spacious hut. 

 All the inhabitants collected round us, among 

 tliem some pretty girls, adorned with flowers ; and 

 I observed with pleasure, that they here fulfil 



H 3 



