312 cook's SECOND VOYAGE APRIL, 



CHAP. XL 



A DESCRIPTION OE SEVERAL ISLANDS DISCOVERED OR SEEN IN 

 THE PASSAGE FROM THE MARQUESAS TO OTAHEITE, WITH 

 AN ACCOUNT OF A NAVAL REVIEW. 



With a fine easterly wind I steered south-west ; 

 south-west by west, and west by south till the 17th, at 

 ten o'clock in the morning, when land was seen bearing 

 W. N., which, upon a nearer approach, we found 

 to be a string of low islots connected together by a 

 reef of coral rocks. We ranged the north-west coast, 

 at the distance of one mile from shore, to three- 

 quarters of its length, which in the whole is near 

 four leagues, when we came to a creek or inlet that 

 seemed to open a communication into the lake in 

 the middle of the isle. As I wanted to obtain some 

 knowledge of the produce of these half-drowned 

 isles, we brought to, hoisted out a boat, and sent 

 the master in to sound, there being no soundings 

 without. 



As we ran along the coast, the natives appeared in 

 several places armed with long spears and clubs ; and 

 some were got together on one side of the creek. 

 When the master returned, he reported that there 

 was no passage into the lake by the creek, which 

 was fifty fathoms wide at the entrance, and thirty 

 deep ; farther in, thirty wide and twelve deep ; 

 that the bottom was every where rocky, and the 

 sides bounded by a wall of coral rocks. We were 

 under no necessity to put the ship into such a place 

 as this; but as the natives had shown some signs 

 of a friendly disposition, by coming peaceably to the 

 boat, and taking such things as were given them, I 

 sent two boats well armed ashore, under the com- 

 mand of Lieutenant Cooper, with a view of having 



