294
August, in the language of Tanna, which was totally diftinft' from
the other. He added at the fame time, that the former
language was fpoken at the ifland of Irronan, which lies
feven or eight leagues to the eaft of Tanna *•. Perhaps a
colony of the fame race, who inhabit the Friendly Iflands,
and all the eafterly illands of the South Pacific Ocean, may
have fettled on that ifland ; or perhaps the natives of Ir-
fonan keep up a communication with the Friendly Illands,
by means of fome Illes unknown to us, lying between
them.
We made another excurfion in the afternoon, and faw
but few inhabitants in our way, though we advanced near
three miles on the plain. We always told them, that we
wanted to kill birds, and they immediately went on without
giving us any uneafinefsr We fhot indeed a number
of fmall birds, but the grafs- was fo thick that we loft
almoft all of them. We palled by fome plantations
of bananas and fugar-canes, but faw no houfes, the
greateft part of the ground being uncultivated, and
covered with lhady forefts, or low fhrubberies. At the
end of the plain we obferved a long, and fpacious valley,
from whence we faw a great number of fmokes riling, and
heard the promifcuous voices of many men, women, and
children. We flood in a path, on both fides of which were
thick fhrubberies ; and the vale itfelf was fo full o f groves,
* He likewise acquainted us, that Irronan was fometimes called Foetoona.
that
that we neither faw the people, whofe voices we heard, nor
any of their dwellings. It being late in the evening, we
proceeded no farther, and without difcovering ourfelves,
retreated to the beach.
The volcano had been quiet ever fince the 7th, and
though it continued to emit fmoke from time to time, yet
the rumbling had entirely eeafed. The fire within the
crater, ftill however illuminated the clouds of fmoke. We
had heavy, and almoft continual rains all night. In the
morning we landed on the beach, and faw but few inhabitants
; we therefore repaired to its wefternmoft corner,
where we had obferved a path which led to the fleep hill
on the weft fide of the bay. We afcended by very eafy
fteps, through the moft delightful groves of fpontaneous
trees and fhrubs, which every where fpread a fragrant and
refrefhing fmell. Several kinds of flowers, embellilhed the
tufted foliage, and the moft beautiful bindweeds climbed
like ivy to the fummits of the tailed trees, and adorned
them with garlands of blue and purple blofloms. A
number of birds twittered round us, and gave life to a
fcene, which would without them, have been inanimate.
Indeed, we did not fee a fingle native on the firft Hope of
this hill, nor did we meet with any plantations. Having
walked up about half a mile by different windings, we
came to a little glade, covered with delicate herbage, and.
furrounded with the moft beautiful wild trees of the wood.
Here
T774-
.UCttST.