206 
VOYAGE TO THE 
uninhabited islands ; and they are not very dissimilar in form 
to places of worship found among the aborigines of South 
America. We named this island Malden’s Island, in ho¬ 
nour of the surveying officer: it lies in lat. 4° S. long. 155° 
W. There is fresh water in it. 
Pursuing our way across the Pacific, we, on the 1st of 
August, made the real Starbuck’s Island, on which we were 
not able to land, owing to a lee-current. Its appearance 
was still more uninviting than that of Malden’s Island, 
there not being even the trees to enliven the flat coral rock. 
It lies in lat. 5° 26' S. long. 155° 50 ' W. 
On the 8th August, to our great surprise, land was de¬ 
scried from the mast-head; and as we were uncertain, from 
its position, whether it was one of the islands discovered by 
Captain Cook, we bore up for it, and about 3 p. m. we were 
within two miles of the nearest point. A heavy swell rolled 
towards the land, and broke on a long chain of coral which 
appeared to surround the Island. Within, it appeared to be 
wooded, but our glasses were turned landwards in vain to 
discover either canoes or huts. At length, as we sailed 
slowly along the north-west side, we were suddenly gratified 
by the sight of a native emerging from the woods, and 
placing himself upon a rock, whence he continued to look 
steadfastly on the ship. A boat was immediately lowered, 
