184: cook's first voyage 1769. 



CHAP. XVII. 



A PARTICULAR DESCRIPTION OF THE ISLAND; ITS PRODUCE 

 AND INHABITANTS ; THEIR DRESS, HABITATIONS, FOOD, DO- 

 MESTIC LIFE, AND AMUSEMENTS. 



We found the longitude of Port-Royal bay, in this 

 island, as settled by Captain Walh's, who discovered 

 it on the 9th of June, I767, to be within half a degree 

 of the truth. We found Point Venus, the northern 

 extremity of the island, and the eastern point of the 

 bay, to lie in the longitude of 149° IS', this being 

 the mean result of a great number of observations 

 made upon the spot. The island is surrounded by a 

 reef of coral rock, which forms several excellent bays 

 and harbours, some of which have been particularly 

 described, where there is room and depth of water for 

 any number of the largest ships. Port-Royalbay, called 

 by the natives Matavai, which is not inferior to any 

 in Otaheite, may easily be known by a very high 

 mountain in the middle of the island, which bears 

 due south from Point Venus. To sail into it, either 

 keep the west point of the reef that lies before Point 

 Venus close on board, or give it a birth of near half 

 a mile, in order to avoid a small shoal of coral rocks, 

 on which there is but two fathom and a half of 

 water. The best anchoring is on the eastern side of 

 the bay, where there is sixteen and fourteen fathom 

 upon an ousey bottom. The shore of the bay is a 

 fine sandy beach, behind which runs a river of fresh 

 water, so that any number of ships may water here 

 without incommoding each other ; but the only wood 

 for firing, upon the whole island, is that of fruit trees, 

 which must be purchased of the natives, or all hope 

 of living upon good terms with them given up. 

 There are some harbours to the westward of this bay 



