Page:Voyage in search of La Perouse, volume 1 (Stockdale).djvu/360

332 the direction of east and west. The fine valleys which separate them, support a luxuriant vegetation, and have the appearance of the greatest fertility.

We observed many fires on the island of Ceram, some of them upon one of the highest mountains, which proves that their summits are frequented by the natives. That mountain appeared to us to be at least 1,200 toises in perpendicular elevation.

Availing ourselves of the calm, we sent a boat to ascertain the direction of the current, which then set to the N.E. ½ E. at the rate of three quarters of a knot in the hour. As, among those islands, the currents depend very much upon the tides, it may be supposed that their force and their direction vary extremely.

On the approach of night we were about 1,000 toises from the coast of Ceram, which becoming less elevated, seemed to indicate less depth of water on its coast. The lead, however, did not reach the bottom with thirty-seven fathoms of line.

Soon after this, we saw on the land side, several fires, which appeared to have been kindled by fishermen, in order to decoy the fish.

2d. About noon we descried the island of Bo- noa,