370 cook's VOYAGE TO JUNE, 



diously get to sea, returned. The masters, who 

 commanded them, reported that the channel to the 

 north, by which we came in, was highly dangerous, 

 being full of coral rocks from one side to the other ; 

 but that, to the eastward, there was a very good 

 channel ; which, however, was very much con- 

 tracted in one place by the small islands ; so that 

 a leading wind would be requisite to get through it ; 

 that is, a westerly wind, which we had found did 

 not often blow here. We had now recruited the 

 ships with wood and water ; we had finished the 

 repairs of our sails ; and had little more to expect 

 from the inhabitants of the produce of their island. 

 However, as an eclipse of the sun was to happen 

 upon the 5th of the next month, I resolved to defer 

 sailing till that time had elapsed, in order to have a 

 chance of observing it. 



Having, therefore, some days of leisure before me, 

 a party of us, accompanied by Poulaho, set out 

 early next morning in a boat, for Mooa, the village 

 where he and the other great men usually reside. 

 As we rowed up the inlet, we met with fourteen 

 canoes fishing in company ; in one of which was 

 Poulaho's son. In each canoe was a triangular net, 

 extended between two poles ; at the lower end of 

 which was a cod to receive and secure the fish. 

 They had already caught some fine mullets ; and 

 they put about a dozen into our boat. I desired to see 

 their method of fishing ; which they readily complied 

 with. A shoal of fish was supposed to be upon one 

 of the banks, which they instantly inclosed in a long 

 net like a seine, or set-net. This the fishers, one 

 getting into the water out of each boat, surrounded 

 with the triangular nets in their hands ; with which 

 they scooped the fish out of the seine, or caught 

 them as they attempted to leap over it. They 

 showed us the whole process of this operation (which 

 seemed to be a sure one), by throwing in some of 

 the fish they had already caught ; for, at this time, 



