860 cook's second voyage may, 



CHAP. XV. 



ARRIVAL AT ULIETEA, WITH AN ACCOUNT OF THE RECEPTION 

 WE MET WITH THERE, AND THE SEVERAL INCIDENTS WHICH 

 HAPPENED DURING OUR STAY. A REPORT OF TWO SHIPS 

 BEING AT HUAHEINE. PREPARATIONS TO LEAVE THE 

 ISLAND, AND THE REGRET THE INHABITANTS SHEWED ON 

 THE OCCASION. THE CHARACTER OF OEDIDEE, WITH SOME 

 GENERAL OBSERVATIONS ON THE ISLANDS. 



As soon as we were clear of the harbour, we made 

 sail, and stood over for the south end of Ulietea. 

 Oree took the opportunity to send a man with a mes- 

 sage to Opoony. Being little wind all the latter part 

 of the day, it was dark before we reached the west side 

 of the isle, where we spent the night. The same light 

 variable wind continued till ten o'clock next morn- 

 ing, when the trade-wind at East prevailed, and we 

 ventured to ply up to the harbour, first sending a boat 

 to lie in anchorage in the entrance. After making a few 

 trips, we got before the channel, and with all our sails 

 set, and the head-way the ship had acquired, shut her 

 in as far as she would go ; then dropped the anchor, 

 and took in the sails. This is the method of getting 

 into most of the harbours which are on the lee-side of 

 these isles ; for the channels, in general, are too 

 narrow to ply in. We were now anchored between 

 the two points of the reef which form the entrance ; 

 each not more than two-thirds the length of a cable 

 from us, and on which the sea broke with such height 

 and violence, as, to people less acquainted with the 

 place, would have been terrible. Having all our boats 

 out with anchors and warps in them, which were pre- 

 sently run out, the ship warped into safety, where we 

 dropped anchor for the night. While this work was 



