l3 VOYAGE IK SEARCH 



warming themfclves. We perceived feveral 

 large fires, which they kindled while wc were 

 making fiiort boards in the offing during the 

 night. 



On the 22d we were unable, on account of the 

 faintnefs of the ibuth-eaft wind, to ge' in v.'itU 

 tlie reefs before noon : we were then in latitude 

 ai 51' fouth, and longitude 163^0' eaft ; we 

 flood along thefe reefs till the evening, without 

 finding in them the finallcft break. 



New Caledonia afforded us a more trailing 

 profped than t lie day before: we law fome trees 

 rifing from the bottom of the gullies, with which 

 the hills are furrowed, 



A fire lighted on the coafr, let us know that 

 thefc oarren mores were not entirely deftitute of 

 inhabitants; and it was not long before we per- 

 ceived fome of them. 



The wind having fhifted from north-caft to 

 north and north- weft, we hove to about ten 

 o'clock at night. This certainly was not the beft 

 plan to adopt, for in the neighbourhood of 

 moals, a fhip fhould always be kept under com- 

 mand, fo as to be ready to avoid them: it would 

 douKtlefs have been preferable to make fhort 

 boards, in order to be able to manoeuvre properly 

 in cafe of any unforefcen danger. 



The whole night of the 2 jd we were thwarted 



by 



