Page:Journal of the Royal Geographical Society of London, Volume 1 (2nd edition).djvu/231

Rh to the painful glare of a white coral beach; while the others enjoy plentifully the produce of the earth, repose beneath the genial shade of palm or bread-fruit trees, and pass a life of comparative ease and luxury.

In approaching Otaheite, the mountains were seen at the distance of ninety miles, making their height, on a rough computation, to be 7000 feet; and the island of Maitea was found to be 1432 feet above the sea.

As Captain Beechey wished to prepare his ship and recruit the sailors at Otaheite, previous to his journey northward, he repaired thither after the examination of the archipelago, and anchored, on the 18th of March, in the outer harbour of Soanoa, about four miles westward of Matavai Bay, in Otaheite; but as the details connected with the stay of the Blossom at these islands do not present us with any facts of immediate interest to geography, we shall not dwell upon this part of the narrative.

On the 26th of April, the ship left the island mentioned above, and reached the low island of Tetharoa, in latitude 17° 02′ S., and longitude 149° 30′ W., the watering-place of the Otaheitans.

On the 20th of May, the Blossom came to anchor at Honoruru, the principal port of the Sandwich Islands. On the 1st of June they hauled into Oneehow, the westernmost island of the Sandwich group, in latitude 21° 52′ N, and longitude 160° 23′ W., where Vancouver anchored. This island is famous for its yams, fruit, and mats.

On leaving this island, Captain Beechey shaped his course for Kamschatka, in doing which he deviated from the tracks of both Cook and Clarke, passing to the eastward of Bird Island, and gaining the latitude of 27″ N., and on the 28th of June anchoring off the town of Petrapaulski, in latitude 53° 00′ N., and longitude 201° 16′ W. On the 1st of July they weighed anchor again, but only succeeded in getting out of the harbour on the 5th. On the 10th, Beering's Island was close upon them. Its latitude was determined to be 55° 22′ N., and longitude 194° 00′ W. On the 17th, they were off St. Lawrence's Island, when they had communication with the natives, who came off in baidars; and on the 19th of July they saw the island of King, which is described as small, but high and rugged.

Captain Beecbey examined the Diomede Islands, which were seen from the mast-head at fifty miles distance, and found them to be three in number, as first advanced by Captain Cook, and since put in doubt by Kotzebue, who mentions a fourth, probably East Cape. Captain Beechey named the eastern one Fairway Rock, latitude 65° 38′ N., and longitude 168° 43′ W. To the centre one he left its original name of Krusenstern, latitude 65° 46′ N., and longitude 168° 55′ .W.; and the north-western is