224 VOYAGE IN SEARCH 



A fire, lighted on the iflot that was neareft 

 to us, quite clofe to a rivulet, which ran down 

 from the mountain, apprized us that thefe fmall 

 iflands are frequented by the natives. 



The eafterly wind blew in the evening, in 

 heavy fqualls, which would have incommoded 

 us prodigioufly in any other fituation, but we 

 were fheltered by the iflands and the reefs, and 

 therefore it was ealy to ipend the night in 

 making fliort boards. 



On the 30th we difcovered to the eaflvvard 

 a few iflots, which feemed to terminate this Ar- 

 chipelago. Their height gradually diminifhed 

 in proportion to their diftance from New Caledo- 

 nia : they feem to be a continuation of the 

 mountains of that large ifland, the bafes of 

 which, covered by the lea, rile here and thereto 

 form lb many iflots. The gradual diminution of 

 the height of thefe mountains mufl induce a pre- 

 emption, that there are hereabouts, even to a 

 great diftance, fhoals, which increafe the dan- 

 ger of navigation in thefe feas. It will be feen 

 that this conjecture was not void of foundation. 



Steering to the north-well, we ranged clofe 

 along th< vhich prohibit the accefs to thefe 



iflots. 



The Admiral flgnificd to the Captain of the 

 rancc, that in cafe of the feparation of the two 



flnps, 



