Page:Voyage in search of La Perouse, volume 2 (Stockdale).djvu/322

266 formed of matted work, and ornamented with shells that have been worn; these are fixed to different parts of the arm, and even above the elbow.

The sailor, who had been wounded in the head by the arrow, did not feel much pain from it; he might have had it dressed immediately by the surgeon of the Recherche, but he chose rather to wait till we should get on board the Esperance. No one would, at that time, have supposed that so slight a wound would one day prove mortal.

As soon as the boats were hoisted on board the vessels we stood to the south-west, a quarter west, coasting the island of St. Croix, at the distance of about three quarters of a mile, and observed many of the savages call to, and invite us to land. Several amongst them launched their canoes to come to us, but we sailed too fast for them to overtake us.

We discovered some mountains, the highest of which were at least three hundred yards perpendicular; they were all covered with large trees, between which we perceived here and there very white spots of ground, which appeared to be laid out in beds.

From thence, after having sailed along the coast about nine miles, we found ourselves opposite to a large bay, which has, without doubt, a