234 VOYAGE IN SEARCH 



After a violent fall of rain, by which we were 

 inundated during the night, a thick fog con- 

 cealed the land from us, and did not permit us 

 to approach it till the next day, a few hours 

 after funrife. 



Some reefs, even with the water's edge, {tat- 

 tered over a fpacc of a few hectometers, were 

 difcerned about eleven o'clock, at two myriame- 

 ters and a half from the coalt, and warned us 

 of the danger of approaching it. We faw the 

 fummits of the lofty mountains of Bougainville's 

 Ifland reaching to the clouds. 



The land again became obfeured in fog, and 

 we were obliged to wait till the 13th before we 

 could continue our furvcy of this coaft. 



We then had the beautiful profpeel of the high 

 mountains, which, gradually floping, formed large 

 vallies, and afterwards fpread into vaft plains, 

 where, however, we faw no appearance of cul- 

 ture : the whole was covered with trees, even to 

 the moft lofty fummits, which appeared to be at 

 leaft two thoufand four hundred meters in per- 

 pendicular height, and to be upwards of four 

 xnyriameters inland. 



Some fires on the hills apprized us that this 

 ifland was not deflitute of inhabitants. 



About half paft eleven o'clock, being a m\ :i- 

 ameter and a half from the coaft, we thought 

 that we were in the grcateft fafety, when we 



found 



