283 
AN ACCOUNT OF 
CHAPTER XXIII. 
General Idea of the I/Iands.—Of the King.— Of the General. 
—0/ the Chief Minijler.—Of the Rupacks.— Of the Na¬ 
ture of Property at Pelew. 
HE Palos or Pelew illands are a chain of fmali 
illands, fituated between the 5th and 9th degree of 
ilorth latitude, and between 130° and 136® degrees of eaft lon¬ 
gitude from Greenwich, and lie in a N. E. and S. W. direc¬ 
tion : they are long but narrow, of a moderate height, well 
covered with wood, at leaft fuch of the illands as our people 
had an opportunity of feeing. They are circled on the weft 
fide by a reef of coral, of which no end could be feen from 
any eminences they were on; this reef in fome places extends 
five or fix leagues from the fhore, and in no parts that were 
vilited lefs than two or three. 
The reader will bear in mind that the Antelope was 
not a fhip particularly fent out to explore undifcovered re¬ 
gions, or prepared to inveftigate the manners of mankind ; 
it had not on board philofophers, botanifts, draughtfmen, 
or gentlemen experienced in fuch fcientific purfuits as 
might 
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