166 NEW SOUTH WALES. 



of the person who had boarded us, and gave particular directions 

 that he, with his rolls of tapa, should be immediately taken and 

 presented to the chief. The customs of the islanders promised that 

 this would insure him good treatment, by giving him at once a 

 protector ; or at least that he would be only robbed by a single per- 

 son, and not exposed to the pillage of the whole population, who 

 would in all probability have stripped him of his property the instant 

 he landed, if not restrained by the authority of a chief. 



Tuvai seemed delighted at being released from his confinement on 

 shipboard, and took his leave by shaking hands with the sentry. 

 Thus while the culprit has not been exposed to any unnecessary 

 severity of punishment, I feel satisfied that I fully accomplished my 

 object of convincing his countrymen that they could not hope to 

 commit murders upon their white visiters with impunity. 



These islands appear to be well wooded, and we saw many large 

 native houses upon them. As we drew near, we perceived upon a 

 rocky flat a few natives waving a white flag. The native who came 

 on board informed me that the inhabitants were numerous, and that 

 among them there were ten white men. 



It is said that the Catholic missionaries who were expelled from 

 Tahiti were landed on this island, when the moment they reached 

 the shore they were stripped of all they possessed. They, notwith- 

 standing, commenced their good work, and are reported to have 

 performed it effectually.* 



The entrance to the lagoon is on the south side of the group, and 

 the pilot, if so he may be called, informed me that there was ample 

 room for the ship to pass within the reef. Wood, water, and refresh- 

 ments may be obtained here. 



Towards evening we stood on our course with a strong breeze, 

 regretting that time did not permit of landing and obtaining a more 

 full account of this little-known land. But the season for operating 

 in high southern latitudes was rapidly approaching, and I was aware 

 that, to say nothing of the extent of sea that was to be traversed, I 

 must spend a considerable time at Sydney in making the necessary 

 preparations for a long and arduous cruise. 



Hoorn Island was made the following day. It was discovered in 



* While in the Feejee Group, I learned that a Catholic mission had already been esta- 

 blished there ; that it was prospering, and that it had already been the means of saving 

 an English vessel from capture, by a timely notice to the crew. 



