OF LA PEROUSE. 213 



As foon as day appeared, we faw an extenfive 

 reef of rocks, which, from the coaft of New- 

 Caledonia, took a direction towards the fouth, 

 and afterwards to the well. A calm detained 

 us the whole morning between thefe dangerous 

 rocks and the Iile of Pines; fortunately a light 

 breeze from the fouth-weft, which fprang up in 

 the afternoon, carried us clear of the breakers. 



When at noon we had obferved in latitude 

 22 49/ fouth, and our longitude was 164 40' 

 eaft, the fouth point of New Caledonia bore 

 north-north-weit, diftant four myriameters. This 

 extremity is in latitude 22 30' fouth, and lon- 

 gitude 1 64 30' eaft. 



We had loft fight of the chain of rocks ; but 

 on the 1 8th, about eleven o'clock, we perceived 

 its fouthern extremity at two myriameters to the 

 north-weft by weft. This fhort I diftance from 

 our fhip, when at noon we took an obfervation, 

 apprized us that they ftretched fome miles 

 more to the fouthward than Captain Cook had 

 imagined, fince-we found them to extend as far 

 ns the latitude of 23 fouth, their longitude be- 

 ing 164 31' eaft. 



Thefe reefs, which we approached to within 

 the diftance of two kilometers, lie near four 

 myriameters from the coaft, and in that fpace 

 afford very fmooth water*, we had to make feve- 

 ral tacks in order to get clear of them. 



p 3 We 



