Islands, Opoun, rising from the sea like a
high round mountain. Westward from it, and close to each other, lie the
little islands Leoneh and Fanfueh.[5] Near these is Maouna, with another
little island at its north-east point. Forty-five miles further lies
Ojalava, and ten miles and a half from it Pola, the largest, highest,
and most westward of the group: connected with them are several other
small islands, which I shall hereafter have occasion to mention.

As the chart which accompanies this volume accurately describes the
geographical situation of all these islands, it is only necessary here
to remark, that it was drawn up from the most diligent astronomical
observations.

All these islands are extremely fertile, and very thickly peopled.
Ojalava surpasses any that I have seen, even Tahaiti itself, in
luxuriant beauty. The landscape of Pola is majestic; the whole island is
one large, high, round mountain, which strikingly resembles the
Mauna-roa upon the island of Owahy: it is not quite so lofty indeed as
the latter, but its altitude is about the same as that of the Peak of
Teneriffe.

All the islands of the South Sea are more or less formed of coral reefs,
which make secure harbours; the Navigators' Islands only are not
indebted to these active little animals for this advantage. We sailed
round all their coasts, and could find but one open bay, which runs far
inland in the island of Maouna, opposite the small island already
noticed off its north-east point.

The inhabitants of these islands are still far less civilized than were
the Tahaitians when first discovered by Wallis. Those of Maouna
especially are perhaps the most ferocious people to be met with in the
South Sea. It was they who murdered Captain de Langle, the commander of
the second ship under La Perouse, the naturalist Laman, and fourteen
persons from the crews of both ships, on their venturing ashore;
although they had loaded the natives with presents.

These savages attacked them with showers of stones; and the muskets of
the Europeans after the first discharge, which unfortunately did but
little execution, could not be reloaded speedily enough for their
protection. Triumphing in their inhuman victory, they mangled and
plundered the remains of their unfortunate victims.

We sailed to the scene of this dreadful occurrence, since called
Massacre Bay. The appearance of the country was inviting; the shores
were bordered with cocoa-trees, and the fres