264 VOYAGE IS SEARCH 



We lay to during the night, and the currents 

 carried us into St. George's Channel, with fo 

 much rapidity as to oceafion us to drift at the 

 rate of upwards of a demi-myriameter an hour. 



About one o'clock in the morning of the 2.5th, 

 the Ifle of Man bore well buth-weft, at the dif- 

 tance of a demi-myriameter. 



A thick fog concealed from us, during the 

 whole day. the high mountains of New Ireland ; 

 only a few of the fummits fhe.wed themfelves 

 from time to time, and we faw towards the cen- 

 tre of the Ifland fome mountains, two thoufand 

 meters in perpendicular elevation. Large trees 

 were diftinguifhable on the mod lofty brows. 



At four o'clock in the afternoon we brought to, 

 in order to reconnoitre Sandwich Ifland the next 

 day ; but the currents drifted us during the 

 night with lb much rapidity, that at daybreak, 

 on the 26th we were greatly aftonifhed to 

 find ou delves within about four hundred meters 

 of this ifland. The people flationed to look out 

 were probably afleep, for they did not apprize us 

 that the currents were fetting us on this coaft, 

 which, although at fo fhort a diflance, fortu- 

 nately prefented no fort of danger. 



Sandwich Ifland is not very highland; like 

 New Ireland, it is clothed with trees ; a few old 

 trunks, after having loft part of their branches, 

 were feen fcattered here and there on the hillocks. 



Being 



