380 



BERGH'S GROUP. 



[1830 



passages were about two hundred fathoms wide, with a depth of water 

 from fifteen to three fathoms. One of them is on the north-west side, 

 one on the south-west, one on the south, and one on the east. The An- 

 tarctic boldly entered at the south-west opening, and courteously paid 

 her respects to the astonished natives, who in assembled groups were 

 gazing at her graceful figure and snow-white wings, as she glided along 

 the mazy passages that separate these lovely islands. The whole 

 scene was interesting beyond my powers of description : I lament 

 that I have not talent to do it justice. The reader must be content 

 with the plain matter-of-fact observations of a seaman. 



On the inner edge of the reef there is a range of small low islands, 

 from one to five miles apart, covered with cocoanut-trees. There are 

 about forty of this description, which are from half a mile to three or 

 four miles in circumference. Within this circular range of small 

 islands there are four others of about thirty miles in circumference, 

 and moderately elevated. Between the latter and those on the inner 

 edge of the reef, there are about twenty that are quite small, covered 

 with cocoanut-trees. A reef runs from one island to another, nearly 

 through the whole group, which renders the navigation very difficult 

 in penetrating to the centre of the group. 



Between all these reefs there is from ten to twenty fathoms of water ; 

 the bottom of which is partly covered with mother-of-pearl oyster- 

 shells, as many parts of the reef are with biche-de-mer. From the 

 lofty appearance of the large islands, I have no doubt but their moun- 

 tains contain sandal-wood, as we saw some of the paddles of the na- 

 tives made of that material. From the lava and pumice-stone which 

 we saw at the wash of the shores, I am led to infer that these islands 

 were once the summits of volcanic mountains. But it must have been 

 at a very ancient date, as they are now all covered with the most fer- 

 tile and luxuriant growth of fruit trees and timber that I have ever seen 

 on any one group in the North Pacific Ocean ; and wherever I landed 

 I found the soil exceedingly rich. Besides the fruits I could recog- 

 nise with my glass before I entered the reef, I now discovered lemons, 

 jack fruit, and a kind of melon, something like our water-melon, but 

 much richer in its flavour. 



During our short stay here on this our first visit, the observations 

 we made were necessarily imperfect, and in some respects erroneous ; 

 but as we had two subsequent and favourable opportunities of examin- 

 ing these islands, and becoming familiar with their inhabitants, I trust 

 the reader will find nothing recorded but what I know to be facts. 

 "When I come to treat of the personal appearance, dress, character, 

 manners, habits, and customs of these natives, as I intend to do in a 

 subsequent chapter, the reader will be surprised to find himself intro- 

 duced to a peculiar race of people, differing, in many respects, from 

 any other I have ever seen or read of. 



On the present occasion our stay was so short, and the natives so 

 very shy, though two or three hundred canoes were round the vessel at 

 one time, that I could not obtain an interview, except with two or three, 

 whom I took on board the Antarctic, and showed them such wonders, 

 and made them such presents, as almost rendered them wild with 



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