190 VOYAGE IN SEARCH 



tween the reefs and the fhore we had no more 

 than from fix and a half to eight fathoms. 



A double canoe immediately got under fail 

 to come off to us : fhe was manned by eleven 

 natives, who condudled her in fuch a manner 

 as to give us no high idea of their knowledge in 

 the art of navigation. They addreffed their 

 difcourfe to us, and held up fome pieces of 

 white cloth, which they waved about, ftill keep- 

 ing at the diftance of upwards of two hundred 

 meters from our (hip. In a fhort time they re- 

 turned towards the coafl. 



The Efpcrance being a little to windward of 

 us, ran aground onalhoal; we inftantly ma- 

 noeuvred fo as to avoid the fame danger, and 

 we anchored fhortly after in order to give her 

 afliftance. Admiral D'Entrecafteaux imme- 

 diately fent our launch to her; and, as early as 

 eight o'clock in the evening, we had the agree- 

 able news that fhe was brought afloat again, and 

 had received no damage. 



The next day, the 20th, at fun-rife, four ca- 

 noes were under fail, and coming towards our 

 fhips : the people in them betrayed fome fears 

 when they got very near us. However one 

 of the favages who conduced them having 

 yielded to our invitations by coming on board, 

 he was followed by almoft all the others. We 

 were furprifed that they fct more value on our 



cloths 



