342 cook s voyage to june, 



of Pangimodoo, near which the ships lay, could bet- 

 ter furnish this necessary article, I went over to it 

 next morning, and was so fortunate as to find there a 

 small pool, that had rather fresher water than any we 

 had met with amongst these islands. The pool being 

 very dirty, I ordered it to be cleaned ; and here it 

 was that we watered the ships. 



As I intended to make some stay at Tongataboo, 

 we pitched a tent, in the forenoon, just by the house 

 which Poulaho had assigned for our use. The 

 horses, cattle, and sheep, were afterward landed, 

 and a party of marines, with their officer, stationed 

 there as a guard. The observatory was then set up, 

 at a small distance from the other tent ; and Mr. 

 King resided on shore, to attend the observations, 

 and to superintend the several operations necessary 

 to be conducted there. For the sails were carried 

 thither, to be repaired; a party was employed in 

 cutting wood for fuel, and plank for the use of the 

 ships ; and the gunners of both were ordered to 

 remain upon the spot, to conduct the traffic with the 

 natives, who thronged from every part of the island, 

 with hogs, yams, cocoa-nuts, and other articles of 

 their produce. In a short time, our land post was 

 like a fair, and the ships were so crowded with visi- 

 tors, that we had hardly room to stir upon the decks* 



Feenou had taken up his residence in our neigh- 

 bourhood ; but he was no longer the leading man. 

 However, we still found him to be a person of con- 

 sequence, and we had daily proofs of his opulence 

 and liberality, by the continuance of his valuable 

 presents. But the king was equally attentive in this 

 respect ; for scarcely a day passed, without receiving 

 from him some considerable donation. We now 

 heard, that there were other great men of the island, 

 whom we had not as yet seen. Otago and Toobou, 

 in particular mentioned a person named Mareewagee, 

 who, they said, was of the first consequence in the 

 place, and held in great veneration ; nay, if Omai 



