OF LA PEROUSE. 289 



We continued lying to during the whole 

 "tiight. 

 The next day, the lit of Auguft, we faw the 

 weflern extremity of this little Archipelago, which 

 is about nine myriameters in extent from eaft 

 to welt. The wefternmoft illot is in latitude 

 2 11' 36" fouth, and longitude 143 47' 38" 

 caft. 



Reefs and fand-banks extended beyond it a 

 full myriameter and a half towards the fouth- 

 weft. 



We prefently faw fome other reefs, which oc- 

 cupy an extent of a myriameter from eaft to 

 weft : they lie in the latitude of 2 13' fouth, and 

 their longitude is 143 40" eaft. 



During the night we ftood under an eafy fail to 

 the weft north-weft. 



At break of day we got fight of the Hermits 

 Iflands difcovered in 1 7 8 1 by Don Francifco Anto- 

 nio Maurelli, in the Spanifh fhip of war La Pr'm- 

 cejfa, who came within about five myriameters of 

 them. Their high lands feemed, at a diftance, 

 to leave between them intervals fufficiently great 

 to afford a paflage for fhips ; but ere long we dif- 

 covered their low coafts ftretching out into the 

 fea; and we diftinguifhed the reefs by which 

 they are connected. 



This little Archipelago is compofed of thirteen 

 iflots, in the midft of which, as at the Admi- 



vol. 1. ralty 



