Page:Voyage in search of La Perouse, volume 2 (Stockdale).djvu/354

296 immediately produced an ebullition in the water, and raised it into vapours of a shining white colour. At the moment of the eruption, a thick smoke, tinged with different hues, but principally of a copper colour, was thrown out with such violence, as to ascend above the highest clouds.

We saw a great number of inhabitants along the coast of New Britain, and several huts raised upon stones, after the manner of the Papous.

We left the strait before close of evening.

We now ranged along the northern coast of New Britain, where we discovered several small islands, very mountainous, and hitherto unknown. The currents in this passage were scarcely perceptible, except under the meridian of Port Montague, where they carried us rapidly to the northward, which led us to suppose that we were opposite a channel that divides the lands of New Britain. We left this coast on the 9th July, after having been impeded in our survey of it by the winds from the south-east, and the frequent calms.

We had been obliged for a long time to live upon worm-eaten biscuit and salt-meat, which was already considerably tainted, in consequence of which, the scurvy had begun to make great ravages amongst us. The greater part of us found ourselves compelled to leave off the use of coffee,