TO GUAHON. ^ i2Sl 



pit,) which, on saiHng from the north point to the 

 south, is the first thing you meet with, as from 

 here to that place the land runs ahnost in a straight 

 Hne. The promontory may be easily recognized, 

 by its uttermost point being formed by a cylindri- 

 cal rock, which rises perpendicularly from the sea. 

 From this point the land forms to the south a 

 deep bay, divides itself into several small creeks ; 

 and the scenery here becomes delightfully pictur- 

 esque. Could I have transported myself back to 

 the time when Magellan discovered these islands, 

 the Rurick would long since have been surrounded 

 by many canoes, with happy islanders. This was 

 not the case now ; the introduction of the Chris- 

 tian relijiion has not diffused here its benign bless- 

 ings ; for, since that time, the whole race of the 

 natives of the Ladrones has been extirpated. 

 We looked in vain for a canoe, or a man on the 

 shore ; and it almost seemed as if we were off an 

 uninhabited island. Tiie sight of this lo vely 

 country deeply affected me. Formerly these fer- 

 tile vallies were the abode of a nation, who passed 

 their days in tranquil happiness; now only the 

 beautiful palm-groves remained to overshadow 

 their graves : a death-like silence every where 

 prevailed. 



I intended to cast anchor a quarter of a mile 

 from Tuloberspit, but was prevented by the great 

 depth and the coral bottom. To our great joy, we 

 now saw a man on the shore, who appeared to us 



Q 1- 



