Page:Journal of the Right Hon. Sir Joseph Banks.djvu/389

Rh plainly saw; they appeared narrow. Anabao itself looked much like Timor, but was not quite so high. We saw on it no signs of cultivation, but as it was misty, and we were well on the other side of the straits, which we judged to be five leagues across, we saw it but very indifferently.

About ten o'clock a phenomenon appeared in the heavens, in many things resembling the aurora borealis, but differing materially in others. It consisted of a dull reddish light, reaching in height about twenty degrees above the horizon. Its extent varied much at different times, but was never less than eight or ten points of the compass. Through and out of this passed rays of a brighter-coloured light, tending directly upwards. These appeared and vanished nearly in the same time as those of the aurora borealis, but were entirely without the trembling or vibratory motion observed in that phenomenon. The body of it bore from the ship S.S.E. It lasted as bright as ever till nearly midnight, when I went down to sleep, and how much longer I cannot tell.

17th. In the morning an island was in sight, very imperfectly, if at all, laid down in the charts. By ten we were very near the east end of it. It was not high, but composed of gently sloping hills and vales almost entirely cleared and covered with innumerable palm trees. Near the beach were many houses, but no people were seen stirring. Soon after we passed the N.E. point, we saw on the beach a large flock of sheep, but still no people. The north side of the isle appeared scarcely at all cultivated, but, like that of Rotte, was covered with thick brushwood, almost or quite destitute of leaves. Among these, as we passed, we saw numerous flocks of sheep, but no houses or plantations. At last, however, one was discovered in a grove of cocoanut trees, and it was resolved to send a boat in charge of a lieutenant to attempt to establish a commerce with people who seemed so well able to supply our many necessities. We saw on the hills two men on horseback, who seemed to ride for their amusement, looking often at the ship, a circumstance which