OP LA PEROUSE. ' '2^7 



the neceffity of trufting the fhip to the fafety of 

 chance. We hove to till daylight, with our 

 head to the fouth-weft, and we founded very 

 frequently without ftriking ground. 



About three o'clock in the morning of the 

 14th, the Efpe ranee made feveral iignals, which 

 created the grcatcfl alarm on board our fhip. 

 We thought that they indicated fome danger; 

 but it was merely to apprize us that fhe had juft 

 got foundings in forty-one fathoms. We filled, 

 and flood off a little from the coaft, and at 

 daylight hauled up and ranged clofe along it. 

 The chain of mountains then began to diminifh. 

 in height. 



A few iflots, which were detached from Bou- 

 gainville's Ifland, were connected ' with each 

 other by reefs on which we faw the fea breaking ; 

 thefe were not the only dangerous places on this 

 coaft ; fome funken rocks formed fhoals, which 

 followed the fame direction. Thefe banks of 

 Coral were doubtlefs covered with flih, for we 

 faw there a great many fea-birds feeking their 

 food. 



A canoe, in which were fix natives, lay be- 

 hind the iflots neareft our fhip. As we were 

 landing on with a frefh breeze, we foon ran 

 pall them. 



The part of Bougainville's Ifland which we 

 perceived, feemed much more inhabited than 



what 



