COOK'S VOYAGE TO AUG. 



gale at south-east by south ; and at half-past six o'clock 

 in the afternoon, it extended from north by east, to 

 north north-east j east, distant three or four leagues. 



The night was spent standing off and on ; and, at 

 day-break, the next morning, I steered for the north- 

 west, or lee-side of the island ; and, as we stood 

 round its south, or south-west part, we saw it every 

 where guarded by a reef of coral rock, extending, 

 in some places, a full mile from the land, and a high 

 surf breaking upon it. Some thought that they saw 

 land to the southward of this island ; but, as that 

 was to the windward, it was left undetermined. As 

 we drew near, we saw people on several parts of the 

 the coast, walking, or running along shore ; and, in 

 a little time, after we had reached the lee-side of the 

 island, we saw them launch two canoes, into which 

 above a dozen men got, and paddled toward us. 



I now shortened sail, as well to give these canoes 

 time to come up with us, as to sound for anchorage. 

 At the distance of about half a mile from the reef, 

 we found from forty to thirty-five fathoms' water, over 

 a bottom of fine sand. Nearer in, the bottom was 

 strewed with coral rocks. The canoes having ad- 

 vanced to about the distance of a pistol-shot from the 

 ship, there stopped. Omai was employed, as he 

 usually had been on such occasions, to use all his 

 eloquence to prevail upon the men in them to come 

 nearer ; but no intreaties could induce them to trust 

 themselves within our reach. They kept eagerly 

 pointing to the shore with their paddles, and calling 

 to us to go thither j and several of their countrymen, 

 who stood upon the beach, held up something white, 

 which we considered also as an invitation to land. 

 We could very well have done this, as there was 

 good anchorage without the reef, and a break or 

 opening in it, from whence the canoes had come out, 

 which had no surf upon it, and where, if there was 

 not water for the ships, there was more than suffi- 

 cient for the boats. But I* did not think proper to 



