OF LA PEROUSE. gl 



Friendly Iflands: it bore north-weft at the 

 diftance of fcvcn n^yriamcters ; but we foon 

 ran pretty clofc m with it. The beautiful ver- 

 dure with which it was every where covered, 

 announced the Iccundity of its foil. The land 

 is of a niiduliiig height. 



It was half pall fix o'clock when we hove to, 

 in order to w ait for the I'^fperance. We fpent 

 the nighu \n itaricJing ';if and on. 



On the 24th oi LVlarjh, about feven in the 

 morning, we vvcrc no more than three myria- 

 meters from Tongataboo ; and yet it was diffi- 

 cult to diilinguifh it; for the land is rather low. 

 We foon ranged very clofely along its eaftern 

 Ihore, ftanding to the north and north-weft, 

 that we might not mifs the opening which 

 leads to tiicharbour^ v. here a fuip cannot arrive 

 ti'l after flie has paired betv/ecn reefs very clofe 

 to each or iter, and the break between which 

 cannot be difcovered till llic is within a ihort 

 diftance. 



As foon as we were about the middle of tliis 

 channel, a great many canoes with outriggers 

 came out to meet us, loaded with fruits, hogs, 

 and poultry, which they oHered us : they v, ere 

 each conducted bv two or three nati ves ; fev con- 

 tained lour. One of them ad\anciiig towards 

 us at too vjcsx a rale, her outri'^'cr was un- 

 !ii|>ncdj and wc were concerned to fee the three 



paddlers 



