184 ITS INHABITANTS. 



miles^ sounding- occasionally, but although within 

 a mile of its edge, no bottom was got with 

 upwards of 100 fathoms of line. From the mast- 

 head Ave could see the surf of the southern border 

 of this great reef, the space between being- a lagoon 

 of apparently navigable water. At the western 

 extremity of the reef there appeared to be a clear 

 opening, but the day was too far advanced to admit 

 of entering it to search for an anchorage, and the 

 ship was hove to for the night, 



Eossel Island, judging from the little we saw of 

 it, appears to be well inhabited. The first natives 

 seen were a party of five men, apparently naked, 

 who came out upon the beach from a grove of cocoa- 

 nut trees, and stood gazing at the unusual sight to 

 them of two vessels passing by. Opposite a pretty 

 creek-like harbour, the windings of which we could 

 trace back a httle way among the hills, several 

 canoes of various sizes were seen, each with an 

 outrigger on one side, and one of them furnished 

 with a large mat-sail of an oblong shape, rounded 

 at the ends. The people, of whom there were 

 usually about six or seven in each canoe, appeared 

 to be engaged in fishing in the shoal water. One 

 man in a very small canoe was bailing it out with a 

 large melon-shell so intently that he appeared to 

 take no notice whatever of the ship which passed 

 within a quarter of a mile of him. We saw many 

 huts close to the beach, usually three or four 

 together, forming small villages. They appeared to 



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