Page:Voyage in search of La Perouse, volume 2 (Stockdale).djvu/327

] We then crowded sail for the Arsacides, the lofty mountains of which we saw to the west-south-west.

27th. We coasted along it this day. About ten A.M. we had just passed a shoal near two miles in breadth, when, through the negligence of the watch, the ship went over another shoal, where, however, there was fortunately sufficient water to prevent her receiving any injury.

At noon we were in lat. 10° 54′ south, and long. 159° 41′ east, when the land of the Arsacides bore from east 21° north, to west 23° north: we were then about three miles to the south of the nearest shore. These coasts were indented, having small hills projecting into the sea, forming a number of little bays, which afforded shelter from the east wind. Most of these small capes are each terminated by a pyramidal rock of considerable height, crowned with a tuft of very green bushes. Farther in the interior of the country we saw the same kind of small hills standing on mountains of a moderate height, which exhibited a very picturesque appearance.

It was generally at the extremity of the small creeks that the inhabitants fixed their residence. Many of them had come upon the beach to enjoy the novel spectacle which our vessels present-