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falling, occasioned by there being no evaporation from the coral islands. We could sleep quietly and without fear under the bright sky, refreshed and cooled by the gentle trade-wind, which, uninterrupted by any high island, blew upon us. After supper we laid down on our turf-beds, with the blue sky for our canopy; the sentinels were placed as on the preceding night, and we were only attacked by the rats.

On the 16th of January we were on our voyage as early as six o'clock; : we found an anchorage near the ninth island, yet not so comfortable as our Christmas Harbour. It was noon before we reached the thirteenth island, having advanced four miles since the morning: here we rested for some hours. The island was only one mile in circumference, and was uninhabited, at least we could not see any traces of huts or water cisterns. From this place a reef extends to the south, which forms on the south-west side a small harbour, protected against the east. We climbed up a tolerably high tree and saw land in the south-east, by which my supposition that we were in a circle, was confirmed. In N. E., within a mile and a half of us, lay a small island, which seemed to be higher than any we had hitherto seen. After we had dined, the sentinels announced three people coming from the west, along the reef; the low water allowed them this promenade; and, although the water in some parts is so deep that they must swim through it, the natives frequent this way with as much security as we should our high roads. I recognised through the glass Rarick and his companions, and they soon appeared among us, unarmed, and much pleased to see us again. My friend was very talkative, by which we gradually acquired a list of expressions, which we recorded when we thought we understood them; thus we learnt that a man was called mamuan, a woman redgini, a chief is called tamon, and such was Rarick of the whole cluster of islands. He now pressed me with great anxiety, and no one could comprehend what he wished to know; at last he named all his companions, next himself, and, as he was then looking at me inquisitively, we understood he wished to know my name. He was very glad when he found that he was understood, called himself by my name, and myself by his, endeavouring at the same time to learn whether 1 approved of the exchange. Knowing that it was the custom in the SouthSea islands to exchange names at the formation of friendship, I willingly accepted his offer; so that I was called Rarick, and he, as he could not pronounce my name otherwise, Totabu. Totabu’s companions, in the mean time, exchanged names with the naturalists, and our connexion was afterwards greatly strengthened. Totabu's learned questions began anew: my gun, the use of which I did not venture to show him, occupied him some time; our clothes were to bim objects of unceasing curiosity; and our shoes excited immoderate laughter, particularly as one of them, on the first attempt to walk with them, measured his length on the ground. But their Oh's became extremely long and frequent when I took off my jacket, and they dis. covered my arm was white. All the treasures I had given to Rarick the day before, he carried with him, well wrapped up in pandanus leaves, sometimes taking them out to look at the to cut some

lowed to peep, tried to catch their reflection, which afforded them no small amusement. In the mean time Rarick's boats landed near our island: he begged I would accompany him to his home, pointing to the east, and we agreed that he should sail before us, and we would follow him in our boats. We started at four o'clock, taking our course towards the island in the N. E. which I resolved to examine on account of its remarkable height. We reached it in an hour, but could not for a long time find any landing-place, it being surrounded by reefs, and, in order to satisfy our curiosity, we were obliged to wade through the water up to our knees. The island, about as large as the one I had just left, had scarcely any mould, but was covered with enormous masses of coral, which rose irregularly one above another, and seemed to have been thrown there violently, which might have been occasioned by a storm from the north. Notwithstanding the small quantity of earth, trees, equalling our oldest oaks in height and bulk, grew between the coral. A great quantity of the species of the sea-gull, which build upon the trees, made a terrible noise on our approach.

Having found some very good anchorages near this island, I altered my intention of visiting Rarick; I hoped to penetrate with the Rurick to the end of the chain, and, in order to lose no time, I immediately set out to return, after having named the island Bird Island. A long reef extended from it to N. E., at the end of which we descried land; we had seen but few coral banks in our excursion. We reached the ship in the evening.

Observations made in Christmas Harbour. Latitude of our anchorage, the mean of daily observations . .

9° 32' 36" N. Longitude from distances between moon and sun,

the mean of a great number of observations, made on several days.

190 6 50 W. Variation of the needle .

11 0 0 E. Dip of the needle.

17 55 On the 6th of January, the day when we reached the anchorage, our chronometers gave the following longitude, corrected from the last lunar observations. Baraud's chronometer

· 190° 13' 30" W. Hardy's chronometer

. 190

6 48 The longitude of Christmas Harbour has been determined by Ba raud's chronometer, which only differs seven miles; this improvement I afterwards made on sketching the chart.

On the 18th we weighed anchor with a N. N. E. wind, and at noon, after some difficulty, we reached Bird Island. The greatest depth which we found on approaching the centre of the circle was 31 fathoms; the bottom consisted of live corals, small pieces of which were brought up with the plummet; near a reef the depth was between ten and twelve fathoms, and the bottom consisted of fine coral sand. At four o'clock P. M. we reached the seventeenth island, which forms the north point of the whole group, and cast anchor at three-quarters of a mile from it, in fifteen fathoms, in fine coral sand. There we rode as seThe finest harbour, the ship being entirely protected from

the water as smooth as a mirror. We now over

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looked the whole of the east part of the group, consisting of small islands lying together, which, from the seventh, took its direction to south-east. The seventeenth island, rather larger than Goat Island, is covered with a luxuriant verdure, and large trees, among which we particularly noticed several cocoa-nut trees. We saw several huts; people walking on the shore, were astonished at the large ship; boats sailed for south-east, others came from thence, and it seemed that we were only now in the inhabited part of the island. We were visited, by some natives in a sailing boat, and one of Rarick's companions gave me some cocoa-nuts, while he repeatedly exclaimed, Rarick! Totabu! Aidara! We gave him some iron, but nothing could induce him, or any of his companions, to come on board. The naturalists went off in a boat to the island, and the savages sailed off at the same time with them. The distance from Christmas-harbour to this spot, in a straight line, is twenty miles. Our naturalists, who returned in the evening, were very much pleased with the reception they had met with from the natives. They had seen only thirty of them; and an old man, whom they supposed to be a chief, treated Mr. Chamisso with a composition made of pandanus and bread-fruit, of an agreeable taste.

On inquiring after Rarick, they pointed towards the S. E. and told us that the seventeenth island was called Ormed, and an island in general, Enns.

On the 19th, our friends from Goat Island arrived here, but would not approach the ship within twenty fathoms; after having shown us some cocoa-nuts, they sailed towards the island, which was rather singular, as we had treated them with so much kindness. They looked at the ship with great astonishment, talking and gesticulating vehemently, frequently calling out Ellip Oa! (large boat). I have noticed that the natives of this group are advantageously distinguished from the Easter and Penrhyn's Islands, by their calm reflection and consideration, qualities which are by no means attached to the latter. In the afternoon I went on shore; our friend from Goat Island had already announced me as the Tamon Oa Ellip (commander of the large boat), and they all hastened to the shore to welcome me; a very old man, with a long grey beard, 'whom I recognised as the chief, said, Aidara; he presented me with some cocoa-nuts, and made me enter his hut, where we sat down upon mats, spread out between the four columns. The rest of the men, and some very pretty women, with infants in their arms, formed a circle round me; and all looked at me with silent astonishment; but this silence was suddenly interrupted; panic-struck, they all ran off with loud screams, except the old man, who, tremblingly, kept hold of my arm; the whole confusion was created by a dog, which had followed me from the coast of Chili, and had got into the boat unnoticed. In order to get at me, he was obliged to jump over the shoulders of one of the natives, whose unexpected appearance created this ludicrous scene, which became yet more laughable, when the animal, which was at other times very timid, encouraged by the cowardice of his antagonists, began to bark at them, which drove them up the trees, upon which they climbed with the dexterity of monkeys. I had great difficulty in persuading the old man of the harmlessness of the creature, and, when I had at last succeeded, he called back his subjects, who gradually came, sneaking, and still keeping a jealous eye upon their foe, whose least motion threw

them into convulsions. As they know here no other quadruped than rats, which they call Didirick, they called the dog, Didirick Ellip. It was only after I sent their tormentor to the boat, that their countenances cleared up again, and the old man presented me with cocoanuts, and a cake made of pandanus juice, and which they call Magan. I now produced my presents; a large hatchet and two knives particularly enraptured the old man, having never seen so large a piece of iron, but, when I split a piece of wood with it, the whole circle exclaimed Oh! As they chiefly employ themselves in building boats, for which they have no instruments but coral stones and shells, some idea may be formed of the value they attached to a hatchet. If the men were gratified with knives, the women were still more so with beads and looking-glasses. After having sufficiently admired their treasures, their curiosity was turned to me, but only the old man attempted to touch me. He spoke to his subjects at some length, and they listened to him with gaping mouths; they made me strip my arm, which they touched, to convince themselves that the white skin was not some sort of cloth. I perceived for the first time a sort of modesty among the women, which is quite different from the conduct of the other South Sea islanders. In vain the men tried to persuade them to touch my arm, they refused it with much grace. This natural modesty of the women, I had afterwards frequent occasion to ad mire. When I put my watch to the old man's ear, the ticking of it made him start back with terror ; they all listened, were much pleased with the gold, and the motion of the second-hand astonished them greatly; but, when I made the watch repeat, they became almost afraid of my sorcery; they went aside, talking very seriously upon the matter, till I encouraged them again by some presents. It was then their turn to make me presents; the women gave me neat rows of shell, which they took off their heads and placed upon mine, the men took off their necklaces, made with great ingenuity of red coral; the old man gave me a pretty mat, making me understand that I should sleep upon it; and at last both men and women began a song, which, being addressed to me, was probably meant to express their gratitude. In a walk which I took through the island, several of the people accompanied me, and one walked before to show me the best way. I was unarmed, for, among these kind children of nature, who, to amuse me, went playing and dancing before me, I was perfectly safe. The island seemed to be older than all the others which I had hitherto seen; I saw pandanus and bread-fruit trees of an uncommon height and size, but the cocoa-nut tree was scarce, and those for the most part recently planted. Near the houses I perceived a plant with beautiful blossoms, which they only cultivate for the purpose of adorning themselves with its flowers, a trait which shows that these savages have made a great step towards civilization, and that, by reasonable Europeans, they might be brought to the most polished state. On passing by a cocoa-nut tree, I perceived a stone tied to one of its branches; and, when I asked my attendant what it meant, he told me, tabui, at the same time giving me to understand, that the fruit must not be eaten. The word tabui is very similar to the tabu (taboo) of the other South Sea islanders, and seems also to have the same meaning, but I never heard it again afterwards: it would also be worthy of remark, if we could find words here, which, by their simila11 N.-Museum.

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rity, could prove that the natives of these islands came here from the east; but, from all the words which we had hitherto noted down, we could not find one that led to this conclusion, except the above-mentioned. Near the shore we saw a plain tomb, forming a square, built of coral stone: it seemed to me that the natives were not permitted to enter it, and I after ds learnt that the chiefs are buried there, and all other corpses are thrown into the

In the evening I parted with my friends, who accompanied me to the boat, where they saw a musket, of which they wished to know the use; I gave them to understand that it made a loud report, when they thought it was used like their shell-horn. The old man gave me some more cocoa-nuts, calling out aidara.

On the 20th, we were under sail early in the morning; a fresh N.N.E. wind favouring the S. E. course, parallel with the chain of islands. We found the breadth of our anchorage

9° 33' 16" N. Longitude of the chronometer

189 49 2 W. Deviation of the needle

12 14 0 E. After having sailed rapidly for one hour, without any interruption from coral reefs, we descried in the S. E. an island, much more extensive than either of the others. I steered my course towards it, and my hope of being within a circle increased, when I also discovered land in the S. At nine o'clock I dropped anchor, at a quarter of a mile from the large island, in eight fathoms, over fine sand, and we lay here in an excellent harbour, and in perfectly calm water. A boat, which started from Ormed with us, we found to our astonishment, had sailed as fast as the Rurick. I sent Mr. Chamisso on shore, to learn whether this was Rarick's residence. He returned within an hour, informing me that Rarick was here, and would come to see me shortly; also that he had not found any thing that announced the abode of a great chief; every thing resembled Ormed; even the population was small, only amounting in the whole to sixty inhabitants. In the afternoon a boat pushed from the island, and we soon recognised Rarick, who called out-aidara! from a great distance. He was most splendidly adorned with rows of shells and flower-wreaths, with various ornaments about the neck, and his body wrapped up in matting. He went on board without hesitation, followed by a few of his companions, who took courage from his example. T'heir amazement on first stepping upon deck baffles all description, and they would not have advanced a pace farther, if I had not taken Rarick by the arm, and led him forward. At last he recovered from his astonishment, and showed himself more dexterous, inquisitive, and childish, than ever. He jumped from one object to another, felt it with both his hands, asked its use, but never waited for an answer, immediately laying hold of something else; there were too many things that drew forth his attention; curiosity and fear alternately changed on his countenance, he jumped about the deck like a madman, first laughing, and then denoting his surprise by heartily exclaiming Oh! but, when any thing struck him in a peculiar manner, he cried Errio! Errio! (a word which I have often heard upon such occasions.) His attendants also took great interest in the objects around them, but did not dare be so loud in the presence of their chief. By a fault of mine