426 
VOYAGE OF THE POTOMAC, 
[September, 
of these islanders on beholding our noble ship, rising as it were 
from the bosom of the waters in the distance, and increasing in 
magnitude as she approached ; then dashing by them like some 
giant spectre, and again burying herself in the ocean from which 
she at first appeared to emerge ; leaving nothing behind but a 
vague, indefinite remembrance of an indescribable vision ! A 
visit by us would have been an era in their annals. But it was 
impracticable to land, and we had to treat their tokens of amity 
and good-will with apparent neglect. Is it not strange that the 
white flag, among " all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people," 
should be adopted as the emblem of peace and good-will ? Like 
Noah's white-winged dove, if it fail to find a resting-place, it 
must return again to the ark. 
Early on the morning of Thursday, September thirteenth, the 
Island of Otaheite, or Tahiti, was seen fr.om the deck ; although, 
according to our observation at noon, we could not have been less 
than sixty miles distant from it ! After standing on till late in 
the afternoon, we found ourselves still eight or ten miles distant, 
and not being able to make the anchorage, we stood on under easy 
sail. The Island of Otaheite is very high ; but being surrounded 
with clouds, could not be distinctly seen, as we neared it on the 
first day. The Island of Eimeo, or Moorea, to the west, has a 
peculiarly rugged appearance, one peak rising in naked grandeur 
above another, and looking down upon the ocean. Numerous 
other islands to the northward and westward, just pencilled their 
light-blue outlines on the distant horizon. 
Our navigation for a few days past had been very dangerous, ' 
and of course the cause of great anxiety to the mind of the com- 
modore. Many of the small islands are very low, surrounded by 
coral beds and reefs, and difficult to be seen until very nearly ap- 
proached. These dangers are greatly increased by night, render- 
ing a ship of the Potomac's dimensions exceedingly unsafe, 
through most parts of this extensive and deeply-interesting archi- 
pelago. ; During the night we stood slowly to windward; but in 
the morning we squared away, and made all sail for the southern 
extremity of the. island ; then coasted along at the distance of three 
miles from it, so that by ten o'clock we had passed along nearly 
the whole of the northwest part of it. A number of white houses 
