necessity. This depth gradually increased to seventy-five fathoms, at
four miles distance from the reefs.
Daylight had scarcely dawned the following morning before several
fishermen paddled towards the ship, and fastened their canoes alongside.
They had taken several dolphins, winch they exchanged for a
very small quantity of tobacco, tying the fish to a rope, and without
the least mistrust contentedly waiting until the price of it was handed
to them. Their canoes w'ere capable of holding five or six persons
each, but there were seldom more than two or three in any of them.
They w'ere hollowed out of large trees, and rather clumsily made, but
it W'as evident from the neat manner in which the inside was fitted w'ith
bamboo gratings, that the constructors of them were capable of much
better w'orkmanship. They had no outriggers, and their sail was
made of grass.
After remaining alongside some time they ventured upon deck,
and saluted us in the Japanese manner, by bow'ing their heads very
low, and clasping their hands to their breasts. They appeai-ed to be a
very diminutive race, and were nearly all bow-legged, from the habitual
confinement of their canoes, ila n y of them were naked, with the
exception of a maro, but those who were clothed wore coarse cotton
gowns with large sleeves; and almost every person had a pipe, tobacco-
pouch, and match fastened to his girdle. As the Loo-Chooans are
reputed to be descended from the Japanese, we naturally sought in the
countenances of these people features characteristic of that nation, but
found that they bore a much nearer resemblance to those of the Malay
tribe. Their manners, however, were very different from those of the
Malays; and they were marked with a degree of courtesy and good
breeding, which w'e certainly should not have expected to find in persons
of their humble occupation, and inferior condition in life.
Having obtained permission to look over the ship, they examined
attentively those things which interested them, and when their curiosity
was satisfied they made a low bow, and returned to their canoes, leaving
us W'ell pleased with their manners. About this time several dolphins
swam round the ship, and the fishermen threw over their lines, and
met with tolerable success. Our lines had for some time been
nil I
IIH'
i: r:
towing overboard with various devices of flying-fish, pieces of cloth, CHAP.
&c., attached to them, and springing from the water with the rise of
the ship, in imitation of the action of the flying-fish, but without any May,
success, and we were happy to take a lesson from our new acquaintances.
Their lines were similar to ours, but their snoeuds were made
of wire, and their hooks, when properly baited, were quite concealed in
the body of a flying-fish which had one side of the flesh cut away.
Several lines thus prepared were aUowed to run out to the length
of about ten fathoms, and w'hen the dolphins w'ere near, speed was
given to the canoe, that the bait might have the appearance of a fish
endeavouring to escape pursuit. In this manner several were taken
at no great distance from us. I f the fish happened to be large, the line
was carefully drawn in, and they were harpooned with an instrument
which every canoe carried for the purpose.
AYe stood towards Loo Choo, accompanied by several of these
canoes, until within a few miles of the land, when, fearing to be seen
from the shore, they quitted us, first making signs for us to go round
to the other side of the island.
About sunset the wind left us close off the south extremity of the
Great Loo Choo; and all the next day it was so light that the boats
W'ere obliged to tow the ship toward the harbour. This slow progress
would have been far less tedious had w'e been able to see distinctly
the country we were passing, and the villages situated in the bays at
the back of the reefs ; but this prospect was unfortunately destroyed by a
dense haze which rendered every distant object indistinct, and tantalized
our expectations by the variety of fallacious appearances it created.
Our course, until four o’clock in the afternoon, was along the western
side of Loo Choo, between it and a reef lying about midway between
this western shore and the Kirrama islands. About that time
we arrived off Abbey Point, and were entering the harbour of Napa-
keaiig, guided by our charts, when we were obliged to drop the anchor
to avmid striking upon a coral bank, with only seven feet water on its
shallowest part. Upon examination we found that this bank, w'hich
had hitherto escaped observation, had a deep channel on both sides of
i t ; we therefore weighed, and steered through the southern passage.
3 SI