headed towards the Island.

During the following day, Dec. 7th, having favorable winds and
weather, we made a regular survey of the whole length of the groupe,
before sunset.--The captain now steered N. W. to endeavour to discover
other Islands which the natives had often described to me, during my
abode with them. They said they had frequently visited ten or twelve
different Islands in their canoes, and that the people who inhabit
them, all speak the same language, which is the same as their own, and
that the Islands lie about one day's sail from each other.

Dec. 8. The weather pleasant and fair; about 9 o'clock, A. M. we saw
land ahead, and passed it on the windward side, then varied our course
and sailed to the leeward of the Island; but night coming on, we were
obliged to defer landing till morning. The captain then attempted to
reach the shore in the gig, but was not able to land, on account of
the surf. After he returned on board, we made sail, cruising farther
to the leeward, in hopes of finding a place to anchor, but in this we
were disappointed, not being able to find bottom thirty yards from the
rocks. However, at high water, the captain, at imminent hazard in
passing the surf, succeeded in landing. He had previously given orders
to me and Hussey, not to let the natives know that we could converse
with, or understand them, but to be attentive to every thing that
might pass among them, to ascertain whether their intentions and
dispositions were hostile or friendly. After landing, the captain and
Hussey visited the house where the head chief, or king of all those
Islands lived, of whom I had formerly heard so much, while I was on
the Mulgraves.--They continued with him about two hours, were treated
well, and discovering nothing unfriendly in the natives, the captain
told Hussey he might make them acquainted with his knowledge of their
language, by conversing with them. The king, on hearing Hussey
speaking in the language of the natives, appeared at first so
frightened and agitated, that he could scarcely reply; but by degrees
became composed, and inquired of Hussey where he learned their
language, and why he had not spoken to them immediately on coming
ashore. Hussey then informed him he was one of the two persons that
had been on the Mulgraves, (in their language, Milly,) and that the
other person (myself) was on board the schooner--that the schooner had
been there after us, that we left the Mulgraves the day