SEPT. 1770 REMARKABLE LIGHTS—ARRIVE AT SAVU 331 
plainly saw; they appeared narrow. Anabao itself looked 
much like Timor, but was not quite so high. We saw on it 
no signs of cultivation, but as it was misty, and we were 
well on the other side of the straits, which we judged to 
be five leagues across, we saw it but very indifferently. 
About ten o’clock a phenomenon appeared in the heavens, 
in many things resembling the aurora borealis, but differing 
materially in others. It consisted of a dull reddish light, 
reaching in height about twenty degrees above the horizon. 
Its extent varied much at different times, but was never 
less than eight or ten points of the compass. Through and 
out of this passed rays of a brighter-coloured light, tending 
directly upwards. These appeared and vanished nearly in 
the same time as those of the aurora borealis, but were 
entirely without the trembling or vibratory motion observed 
in that phenomenon. The body of it bore from the ship 
SSE It lasted as bright as ever till nearly midnight, 
when I went down to sleep, and how much longer I cannot 
tell. 
17th. In the morning an island! was in sight, very im- 
perfectly, if at all, laid down in the charts. By ten we were 
very near the east end of it. It was not high, but composed 
of gently sloping hills and vales almost entirely cleared and 
covered with innumerable palm trees. Near the beach were 
many houses, but no people were seen stirring. Soon after 
we passed the N.E. point, we saw on the beach a large flock 
of sheep, but still no people. The north side of the isle 
appeared scarcely at all cultivated, but, like that of Rotte, 
was covered with thick brushwood, almost or quite destitute 
of leaves. Among these, as we passed, we saw numerous 
flocks of sheep, but no houses or plantations. At last, how- 
ever, one was discovered in a grove of cocoanut trees, and it 
was resolved to send a boat in charge of a lieutenant to 
attempt to establish a commerce with people who seemed so 
well able to supply our many necessities. We saw on the 
hills two men on horseback, who seemed to ride for their 
amusement, looking often at the ship, a circumstance which 
1 Savu Island, belonging to the Dutch. 
