e or canoe; no distant smoke; no shining thatch.
Bravo! good comrades, we've discovered some new constellation in the
sea.

Sweet Yillah, no more of Oroolia; see you not this flowery land?
Nevermore shall we desire to roam.

Voyaging along the zone, we came to an opening; and quitting the
firmament blue of the open sea, we glided in upon the still, green
waters of the wide lagoon. Mapped out in the broad shadows of the
isles, and tinted here and there with the reflected hues of the sun
clouds, the mild waters stretched all around us like another sky.
Near by the break in the reef, was a little island, with palm trees
harping in the breeze; an aviary of alluring sounds, that seemed
calling upon us to land. And here, Yillah, whom the sight of the
verdure had made glad, threw out a merry suggestion. Nothing less,
than to plant our mast, sail-set, upon the highest hill; and fly
away, island and all; trees rocking, birds caroling, flowers
springing; away, away, across the wide waters, to Oroolia! But alas!
how weigh the isle's coral anchor, leagues down in the fathomless
sea?

We glanced around; but all the islands seemed slumbering in the
flooding light.

"A canoe! a canoe!" cried Samoa, as three proas showed themselves
rounding a neighboring shore. Instantly we sailed for them; but after
shooting to and fro for a time, and standing up and gazing at us, the
Islanders retreated behind the headland. Hardly were they out of
sight, when from many a shore roundabout, other proas pushed off.
Soon the water all round us was enlivened by fleets of canoes,
darting hither and thither like frighted water-fowls. Presently they
all made for one island.

From their actions we argued that these people could have had but
little or no intercourse with whites; and most probably knew not how
to account for our appearance among them. Desirous, therefore, of a
friendly meeting, ere any hostile suspicions might arise, we pointed
our craft for the island, whither all the canoes were now hastening.
Whereupon, those which had not yet reached their destination, turned
and fled; while the occupants of the proas that had landed, ran into
the groves, and were lost to view.

Crossing the distinct outer line of the isle's shadow on the water,
we gained the shore; and gliding along its margin, passing canoe
after canoe, hauled up on the silent beach, which otherwise seemed
entirely innocent of man.

A dilemma. But I decided at last upon disemba