248 SAIL FOR NEW ARCHANGEL. 



speedy return. On a signal from him, the 

 fortress fired five guns, which salute we imme 

 diately returned. Karemaku waved his hat 

 from his boat, and continuing his &quot; Arohas&quot; so 

 long as we were within hearing, was rowed back 

 to the harbour. A fresh wind at this moment 

 springing up, we lost sight of the beautiful is 

 land where we had passed our time so agreeably, 

 and prepared, withfar less prospect of satisfac 

 tion, to encounter the wintry storms of the North. 

 I chose the channel between the islands of Wahu 

 and O Tuai, as the most convenient outlet into 

 the open ocean, for ships going northward from 

 Hanaruro. We passed through it on the follow 

 ing day, and sailed direct for New Archangel. 



The reader will willingly spare me any par 

 ticular description of this troublesome voyage : 

 I must only mention that, on the 14th of Fe 

 bruary, in latitude 35 and 155 longitude, we 

 sailed over a point where, according to the 

 assertion of some whale-fishers in Wahu, an 

 island lies ; but though the horizon was per 

 fectly clear, we could discover no sign of land. 

 Our voyage proved safer and more expeditious 

 than is usual at this season. 



