ELLICE'S AND KINGSMILL GROUP. 75 



but continued to follow the tender until she left the lagoon, which 

 she did by the passage through which she had entered. When the 

 natives found that the prize had escaped them, they became outra- 

 geous, making use of many violent gesticulations at the disappoint- 

 ment they had experienced. 



The next island that claimed their attention was Maraki, or Mat- 

 thew's Island. It is much smaller than the two last, and situated 

 in latitude 2° 00' 00" N., and longitude 173° 25' 30" E. It is a 

 lagoon island, without entrances, and of coral formation. It is but 

 five miles long, north-by-east and south-by-west, and two and a half 

 wide at its base, being of triangular shape. 



It appears to be densely peopled, for many villages were seen, and 

 after dark a lame number of fires were burning-. 



A canoe ventured alongside, in which was one of the natives, of an 

 herculean frame, and calling himself a chief. When asked how 

 many people they had on the island, he replied, as many as were on 

 board the ship. As all hands were on deck, it is supposed that his 

 simile was equivalent to a multitude. 



The persons in this canoe were exceedingly desirous of getting old 

 iron hoops : they did not remain a long time on board, and seemed to 

 be uneasy. After they had obtained these small presents, they quietly 

 abandoned the ship, and on getting into their canoes, soon plied the 

 paddles in such a" manner as showed that they were quite anxious to 

 get out of reach, seemingly congratulating themselves upon their 

 miraculous escape. Their dialect and customs were the same as 

 those of the rest of the group. 



On the 27th, the Peacock left Matthew's Island to look for Pitt's 

 Island, which they made on the 28th, at 9 a. m. On the 29th, the 

 weather permitted the survey to be made. 



There are two islands known under this name : the largest is called 

 by, the natives Taritari, and the smallest Makin. The latitude of the 

 southern point of Taritari is 3° 08' 00" N., longitude 172° 48' 00" E. 

 This island is of the figure of a triangle, with its apex to the south, 

 and its sides are about fourteen miles in length. The southeast side 

 is a continuous grove of cocoa-nut and pandanus, with some under- 

 growth ; on the other two sides is a reef, which is awash, excepting 

 the northwest point, in which there is a small inlet. 



Makin is of much smaller dimensions, being but six miles long : 

 it varies in width from half a mile to a mile. Its northern point lies 

 in latitude 3° 20' 43" N., and longitude 172° 57' 00" E. This small 



