OF LA PER0USE. 34^ 



till dark. I faw feveral fifhermen in their ca- 

 noes, at a little diftance from the fhore, who 

 were availing themfelvcs of the darknefs of the 

 night to attract the fifh, by means of fires 

 lighted near the furface of the water. Some 

 bits of wood, placed on the crofs-pieces of the 

 double outrigger of the canoes, were burning, 

 which produced a very lively flame. One of the 

 fifhermen kept up the fire, and carefully pre- 

 vented it from catching the crofs-pieces of the 

 outrigger, which he could eafily do by letting 

 fall into the water any of the bits of wood that 

 could communicate the flame : in the mean time 

 the others were occupied in encompafling in 

 their nets the fifh, which were attracted from a 

 great diftance by this dazzling light; and we were 

 foon convinced that thefe iflanders were very 

 dexterous fifhermen. 



On the 29th we fet- but early in the morn- 

 ing, to proceed to the other fide of the roadftead. 

 We had to go by water about fix kilometers, 

 and this was a dangerous trip in a canoe, the 

 outriggers of which were not fufficiently firong 

 to make it preferve its balance when fo heavily 

 laden. We were very anxious to fee the places 

 which we had not yet vifited, and we embarked 

 without being aware of all the danger of our en- 

 terprife ; but we prefently found that one of the 

 outriggers became immerfed in the water, as foon 



as 



