T H E P A C I P I C OCEAN. 21^. 



the Mafter in a boat, to found the coaft ; to look out for a ,^77S. 



January. 



landing-place ; and, if he fliould find one, to examine if ^ .— ^j- 



frelli water could be conveniently got in its neighbourhood. 

 To give him time to execute his commiflion, we followed, 

 under an eafy fail, with the fhips. As foon as we were 

 abreaft, or to the Weflward of the South Point of Oneeheow, 

 we found thirty, twenty- five, and twenty fathoms water,, 

 over a bottom of coral fand, a mile from the Ihore. 



At ten o'clock, the Mafter returned, and reported, that he 

 had landed in one place, but could find no frefli water; and 

 that there was anchorage all along the coaft. Seeing a vil- 

 lage a little farther to leeward ; and fome of the iflanders, 

 who had come oflf to the fhips, informing us, that frefh 

 water might be got there, I ran down, and came to an an- 

 chor before it, in twenty-fix fathoms water, about three 

 quarters of a mile from the fliore. The South Eaft point of 

 the iiland bore South, 6j° Eaft, three miles diftant; the 

 other extreme of the ifland bore North by Eaft, about two 

 or three miles diftant ; a peaked hill, inland. North Eaft, a 

 quarter Eaft ; and another ifland, called Tahoora, which was 

 difcovcred the preceding evening, bore South, 61° Weft, 

 diftant fcven leagues. 



Six or feven canoes had come oft' to us, before we an- 

 chored, bringing fome fmall pigs and potatoes, and a good 

 many yams and mats- The people in them refembled thofe 

 of Atooi ; and feemed to be equally well acquainted with 

 the ufe of iron, which they afl^ed for alfo by the names of 

 hiimaise and toe ; parting readily with all th(iir commodities 

 for pieces of this precious metal. Several more canoes foon 

 reached the fhips, after they had anchored; but the na- 

 tives in thefe feemed to have no otlier object, than to pay 



us 



