In the year 1816, in the ship Rurik, I discovered the chain of islands
called by their inhabitants, Radack. It consists of several groups lying
near each other, and these again of many small islands united by reefs
and surrounding great basins of water. All these being formed by the
coral insect, are very low, and still but thinly covered with soil, so
that they want the luxuriance of vegetation usual in this climate; their
population is scanty; and the most important island of a group commonly
gives its name to the whole.

The Radackers are tall and well made, of a dark brown complexion; their
black hair is neatly bound up, and that of the women decorated with
flowers and strings of muscle-shells. Their features are soft and
agreeable, and many of both sexes may be considered beautiful. They
attain a great age, and though less robust than some other South Sea
islanders, and subsisting wholly on fish and vegetables, are generally
healthy. In gentleness and good-nature they excel them all, even perhaps
the Tahaitians.

The chief or sovereign of all these islands is named Lamari: the chiefs
of the particular groups are subordinate to him; and under these are the
chiefs of the separate islands composing each group. The chief of the
group Otdia is called Rarik. I gave his portrait in my former voyage,
and was particularly pleased with him, and with another native of the
same group, named Lagediak. An inhabitant named Kadu of the group Kawan,
no native, but thrown there by a storm from the island of Ulle, made the
voyage from Otdia to Unalaschka and back with us in the ship Rurik, and
gained the good-will of the whole crew. He gave us some instructions in
the Radack language; and on our second visit could interpret pretty well
between us and the islanders, as he already spoke a little Russian: his
portrait also is prefixed to one of the volumes of my former voyage.

After an absence of eight years, I was now again in sight of my
favourite Radack Islands, where I had passed several weeks among some of
the best of Nature's children. Whoever has read my former narrative,
will imagine the pleasure with which I anticipated my certain welcome; I
pictured to myself a meeting on which the heavens themselves appeared
to smile. It was an uncommonly fine day, and a fresh and favourable wind
carried us quickly towards land. Our inquiring glances soon showed us
from the deck, on the island Otdia, the airy groves of palms which
enclose