OF LA PEROUSE. 235 



found ourfelves carried towards a fhoal which 

 the people on the look-out had not perceived: 

 the water was fo very ihallow, that we could 

 cafily diftinguifh the flfhes at the bottom, and 

 a few points which rofe higher than others, made 

 us fear every moment that we fhould fee the 

 ihip ftrike on the rock. 



Our depth of water was then four fathoms 

 and a half; and the boat, which was quickly dif- 

 patched to go and found this fhoal in different 

 points, found no more than three fathoms and 

 a quarter on one of its extremities, with con- 

 ftantly a bottom of coral. 



We were then involved in the mofl imminent 

 danger, furrounded as we were on all fides by 

 fhoals, on which we ran the rifk of being call 

 away. 



Boats were fent from each fhip to go and 

 found, on thefe rocks, where the fhoaleft water 

 was found to be three fathoms ; the fmallefr. 

 fvvell might confequently have made us touch, 

 and have knocked out our bottom. 



Thefe rocks, as well as the reefs of New Cale- 

 donia, are the work of polypi; like thofe reefs, 

 they are built perpendicularly, and quite clofe 

 to them we got no ground with a line of a hun- 

 dred fathoms. Thefe fhoals rife like fo many 

 columns from the bottom of the water, and 



their 



