the residence of Rarik, and under whose shade I had so often sat
among the friendly islanders. We could now distinguish boats sailing
about on the inner basins, from one island to another, and a crowd of
people running to the shore to gaze at the ship. I knew my timid friends
too well, not to guess what was passing in their minds. I had indeed, on
parting from them, promised to visit them again, but the length of time
which had since elapsed had probably extinguished this hope; and they
would easily perceive that the great three-masted ship they now saw was
not the small two-masted Rurik of their acquaintance. If, therefore, the
first glimpse of the vessel had flattered them with the expectation of
seeing me again, their pleasure had been ere this converted into fear.
Uncertain how they might be treated by the strangers, the women and
children fled to the interior, and all the canoes were set in motion to
carry their little possessions to some place of comparative safety. The
most courageous among them advanced armed with spears to the shore,
displaying their valour while the danger was yet distant.

It is not surprising that timorous apprehensions should agitate these
poor people on the appearance of a strange vessel. Their western
neighbours, the inhabitants of the island of Ralick, and of the southern
islands of the groups Mediuro and Arno, which are much more thickly
peopled, sometimes attack them with a superior force, plunder them,
destroy their fruit-trees, and leave them scarcely subsistence enough to
preserve them from starving. They had indeed imbibed from the crew of
the Rurik a favourable opinion of white people; but the ship which now
approached them was a monster in comparison of it, and they were
excusable in supposing it manned by another and unknown race.

We now reached the group Otdia, and sailed close under the outward reef,
towards the Schischmaref Strait, through which I proposed to enter the
basin. The sight of the ship diffused terror throughout all the islands
as we passed, and the natives fled for concealment to the forests. As we
approached the Lagediak Strait, the breeze was sufficient to warrant us
in venturing through it; I therefore gave up my intention of entering by
the Schischmaref Strait where the wind would be against us, spread all
sail, and soon rode on the placid waters of the basin. I would not
however advise seamen, without an adequate inducement, to choose this
strait: it is so