one of that cluster of islands in the South Sea which were discovered by M. Bougainville, and by him named Navigator's Islands. It was visited by La Perouse in 1787, who describes it as exceedingly rich in every animal and vegetable production necessary to the subsistence of man. The two frigates which he commanded had no sooner approached the shore, than he discovered at the bottom of each creek a number of villages, from whence came innumerable canoes, laden with pigs, cocoa nuts, and other fruits, which were purchased for glass ware. This was in the evening; and next morning the commerce was renewed in the most friendly manner. As early as the dawn of day, the islanders had surrounded the two frigates with 200 canoes full of different kinds of provision, which they would exchange only for beads—in their estimation diamonds of the first water. Axes, cloth, and all other articles of commerce, they disdained. Abounding in real blessings, they were desirous of obtaining superfluities alone.

Two boats, filled with empty casks, were sent ashore for fresh water; and Perouse himself accompanied them in his pinnace. A line of soldiers was posted between the beach and the Indians, who amounted to about 200, including a great many women and children. The French commander prevailed upon them all to sit down under cocoa trees, that were not more than eight toises distant from the ships' boats. Each of them had by him fowls, hogs, parrots, pigeons, or fruit, and all wished to sell them at once, which occasioned some confusion.

The women, some of whom were very pretty, offered their favours, as well as their fowls and fruit, to all those who had beads to give them; and soon tried to pass through the line of soldiers, who opposed but a feeble resistance to their attempts. Europeans who have made a voyage round the world, especially Frenchmen, have no arms to ward off similar attacks. Accordingly the fair savages found little difficulty in breaking the ranks; the men then approached; and the confusion was growing general; when Indians, who seemed to be chiefs, made their appearance with sticks in their hands, and restored order, every one returning to his post, and the traffic beginning anew, to the great satisfaction of both buyers and sellers.

While all this was passing with the greatest tranquillity, and the casks were filling with water, Perouse thought he might venture to the distance of 200 yards to visit a charming village, situated in the midst of a wood, or rather of an orchard, all the trees of which were loaded with fruit. The houses were placed upon the circumference of a circle, of about 150 toises in diameter, the interior forming a vast open space, covered with the most beautiful verdure, and shaded by trees, which kept the air delightfully cool. Women, children, and old men, accompanied him, and invited him into their houses. They spread the finest and freshest mats upon a floor formed of little chosen pebbles, and raised about two feet above the ground, in order to guard against humidity. He went into the handsomest of these huts, which probably belonged to a chief; and great was his surprize to see a large cabin of lattice-work, as well executed as any of those in the environs of Paris. The best architect could not have given a more elegant curve to the extremities of the ellipsis that terminated the building; while a row of pillars, at five feet distance from each other, formed a complete colonnade round the whole. The pillars were made of trunks of trees very neatly wrought, and between them were fine mats laid over one another with great art, like the scales of a fish, and drawing up and down with cords, like our Venetian blinds. The roof of the house was covered with leaves of the cocoa palm.

This charming country combines the advantages of a soil fruitful without culture, and of a climate which renders clothing unnecessary. The trees that produce the bread-fruit, the cocoa-nut, the banana, the guava, and the orange, hold out to these fortunate people an abundance of wholesome food; while the fowls, hogs, and dogs, which live upon the surplus of these fruits, afford them an agreeable variety of viands. What cold imagination could separate the idea of happiness from But Manuana is not the abode of innocence. No arms were indeed perceived; but the bodies of the Indians, covered over with scars, proved that they were often at war, or else quarrelling among themselves; while their features announced a ferocity that was not perceptible in the countenances of the women. Nature had, no doubt, stamped this character on their faces, by way of shewing, that the half savage, living in a state of anarchy, is a more mischievous being than the most ferocious of the brute creation.

Of their ferocity and their treachery, Perouse had too soon the most complete evidence. M. de Langle, the second in command, went ashore for fresh water, accompanied by sixty Frenchmen, officers, sailors, and soldiers. They were received with an air of good humour by crowds of people waiting on the beach with immense quantities of fruit and hogs; but this calm was of short duration. The Indians picked a quarrel with them, pelted them with stones, thrown with great dexterity and with equal force; and it was with difficulty that, of the sixty-one, forty-nine reached the ships, many of whom were severely wounded. Among the killed were De Langle, and Lamaron the naturalist (See Lamaron in this Suppl.). Perouse describes the men of Manuana as of gigantic stature, and of great muscular strength. See Navigators Islands in this Suppl.