248 FROM THE ST. LAWRENCE ISLANDS 



coast of America and Canton, had chosen the 

 islands of Agrigan and Saypan as a place of rest on 

 this voyage. To be sure of finding there, in future, 

 fresh provisions, they brought several families from 

 the Sandwich islands, who were obliged to culti- 

 vate the ground, and tend the cattle ; and they 

 would have succeeded in their future voyages, in 

 being supplied with fresh provisions from these 

 two islands, without payment ; but the Spaniards 

 had scarcely been informed of it, when soldiers 

 were sent there, who made tlie poor islanders pri- 

 soners, and destroyed their plantations. I have 

 seen these islanders at the Governor's; they seemed 

 contented with their fate, and were much rejoiced 

 to hear something about their native country. 

 The Governor had learnt that the Americans had 

 founded a new colony on Agrigan. It is a question 

 how long it will last. 



When I took leave of the Governor, in the after- 

 noon, I was obliged to accede to his kind invita- 

 tion, to visit him the following day. M. Cha- 

 misso remained on shore, and I returned to the 

 Rurick, accompanied by Dr. Eschscholtz. We 

 were delighted at the romantic scenery, and were 

 shaded, by overspreading trees, from the scorching 

 rays of the sun. We halted in the villages, and 

 the people were always ready to refresh us with 

 juice drawn from cocoa blossoms, of a very 

 pleasant taste. The sportive, cheerful disposition 

 of the Soutli Sea islanders is no longer found 



