88 VOYAGE IN SEARCH 



was already night when we pafTed about fix 

 hundred meters to leeward of this rock, v\ lience 

 were heard the cries of feveral of thefe birds; 

 but the moon fhining bright, we diftingu'lhed, 

 on the moft prominent points, a whitenefs which 

 we attributed to thc;ir excrements. 



This rock, which is m latitude 31 32' 20" 

 fouth, and longitude lyc)'^ eaft, is not more 

 than a kilometer in circumference, and from 

 feventy to ei<.;hty meters in elevation. Some 

 breakers were remark c off the waix point. 



We were entirely fliclu^red from the fea when 

 we ran under f-.c lee of this flioal, fo that had 

 there lay in our route any rock even with 

 the water's edge, we Ihould not have been ap- 

 prized of the danger till the mom.ent when the 

 fliip had ftruck on it. Wc Iho'ild have avoided 

 thefe rocks, if we had gone to windward of it, 

 or even at a proper diflancc to leeward. 



The next day, the 17th, we got fight of 

 Curtis *s lllands ; they are two in number, 

 very in.all, and near tv.o myriametcrs fron"; 

 each otiicr, 1 he fouthernmoit is not more 

 than tvv'o kiloniLLcrs in length from north to 

 fouth ; it is deep, very i^ancn, and guarded by 

 a g'v'it number of rocks, the high points of 

 which rile to libout a huncircJ nK'ters in pcr- 

 ]k:: ilculir height above the level of the fea. 

 Their v. hitifn colour made mic think that they 



were 



