DISCOVERIES IN THE PACIFIC. 



411 



America in six days' time. Whenever the weather was clear 

 the nights were exceedingly short ; for, though it was the middle 

 of January, the Antarctic summer was at its height. On arriving 

 at the island of Juan Fernandez, Roggewein was surprised and 

 rejoiced to see the Tienhoven safe at the rendezvous. The three 

 captains dined together the next day, and made merry over their 

 mutual convictions of each others' unhappy shipwreck. 



After a considerable run to the westward, Roggewein dis- 

 covered, on the 14th of April, 1722, an island sixteen leagues 

 in extent, to which he gave the name of Easter Island, in com- 

 memoration of the day. This was one of the most important 

 discoveries ever made in the Pacific ; and Easter Island is, for 

 many reasons, one of the most famous oases in that desert of 

 water. Roggewein thus speaks of his first adventure there: — 

 " One of the inhabitants came out to us, two miles from shore, 

 in a canoe. We gave him a piece of cloth, for he was quite 

 naked. He was also offered beads and other toys: he hung 

 them all, with a dried fish, about his neck. His body was all 

 painted with every kind of figures. He was brown: his ears 

 were extremely long and hung down to his shoulders, occa- 

 sioned, doubtless, by wearing large, heavy . ear-rings. He was 

 tall, strong, robust, and of an agreeable countenance. He was 

 gay, brisk, and easy in his behavior and manner of speaking. 

 A glass of wine was given to him : he took it, but, instead of 

 drinking it, threw it in his eyes, which surprised us very 

 much. We then dressed him and put a hat upon his head; but 

 he wore it very awkwardly. After he was regaled with food, 

 the musicians were ordered to play on different instruments: 

 the symphony^made him very merry, and he began to leap and 

 dance. We sent him back with presents, that the others might 

 know in what manner we had received him. He seemed to leave 

 us with regret, praying with great violence and uttering the 

 word 'Odorraga! odorraga !' The next day large numbers of 

 his countrymen came to our lew anchorage, bringing us fowls 



