158 NEW SOUTH WALES. 



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 person, 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, notwithstanding, 

 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 pre- 

 parations for a long and arduous cruise. 



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

 1616 by Schouten and Le Maire. Its highest point is two thousand 

 five hundred feet above the sea; on its northern side many rocks are 

 visible, and the whole surface appears bold and precipitous, affording, 

 as far as we could perceive, little soil for cultivation. Cocoa-palms 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. 



