hat they were connected with the first by means of the
reef. The second and third group could also be seen from this point; the
former to the S.E. the latter S.W.

At six o'clock in the evening, we found ourselves near the eastern point
of the third group, and saw from the mast-head the Greigh Islands,
discovered by Captain Bellingshausen. We now steered between these two
groups, in order to free ourselves from the Archipelago, and regain the
open sea. Again the night was tempestuous; but a calm occurred in the
course of it, which, had it lasted longer, would have been dangerous, as
a strong current was carrying us towards the shore. The morning sun, as
usual in the Torrid Zone, dispersed the clouds and restored the
beautiful blue of the tropical sky. We soon lost sight of land, but a
black cloud still lowered in that part of the horizon where it had
disappeared; a proof how powerfully these masses of coral attract
thunder clouds. We now recovered the south-east wind, and favoured by
it, took the shortest way to O Tahaiti. All the longitudes in the
dangerous Archipelago which I have given, (without entering into the
manner in which they were calculated,) are made out by means of the
chronometer. This, on arriving at O Tahaiti, was found six minutes fifty
seconds wrong; and the longitudes here given have been rectified
accordingly.

The following is from our observations the situation of the Palliser
Islands:--

South point of the first group. Lat. 15 deg. 34' 25"
Long. 146 deg. 6' 49"

The two small islands to the West
of the first group Lat. 15 deg. 30' 15"
Long. 146 deg. 20' 50"

The Eastern point of the third group Lat. 15 deg. 44' 52"
Long. 146 deg. 28' 2".

Most of the islands of this Archipelago are inhabited, but hitherto
little is known of the natives, who are shy, and endeavour to avoid any
intercourse with navigators. Byron landed by force on one of these
islands; in the struggle many of the inhabitants were killed, the rest
put to flight, and the provision of cocoa-nuts found in their huts
plundered. Tradition may perhaps have exaggerated this attack. Cook also
permitted some of his crew to land, who indeed met with no resistance,
but their presents were received with the greatest indifference, and
stones were thrown after them on their d