ap2 VOYAGE IN SEARCH 



them that was adorned with the fhell, which 

 the inhabitants of thofe iflands wear at the end 

 of their prepuce. 



Thefe natives had advanced towards us with 

 very pacific views, for they had no arms ; and 

 from the Efperance, which fhip they had ap- 

 proached nearer than they did ours, none had 

 been perceived, even in the bottom of their ca- 

 noes : perhaps they had imagined that, by pur- 

 fuing this method, they might induce us to come 

 on ihore. 



Thefe canoes, although fimilar in appearance 

 to thofe of the Admiralty Iflands, are not near 

 fo good failers ; that which came near us had 

 then only one fail, but me fet one abaft, in 

 order to keep up with us : this other fail was 

 much fmaller than that fet forward, and they 

 were both in the form of a reclangle, one of the 

 fides of which was almoft twice the length of the 

 other ; they fet them in the manner of the lug- 

 fails of our boats. Their large fail, which was 

 as taunt as that of the canoes of the Admiralty 

 Iflands, came down much lower, and was con- 

 siderably fquarcr. 



The group of the Hermits Iflands, including 

 the reefs, is about feven myriameters in circum 

 ference. The middle of thefe iflands is in lati 

 tude i 35' 38" fouth, and longitude 142 41' 

 cafl 



We 



