T H E P A C I F I C O C E A N. 24, 



which any intercourfe was had with the natives of this ^ '77s- 



, r r • 1111 February. 



ocean, v/as that or Quires, who landed at Sagittana, the ' , ' 



Ifland of Handfome People, and at Tierra del Efpiritu 

 Santo ; at all which places, and at thofe with whom they 

 had any communication, it muft, of confequencc, have 

 been made known. To him fucceeded, in this navigation, 

 Le Maire and Schouten, whofe conncdiions with the na- 

 tives commenced much farther to the Eaftward, and ended 

 at Cocos and Horn Iflands. It was not furprifing, that, when 

 I vifited Tongataboo in 1773, I fliould find a bit of iron there, 

 as we knew that Tafnian had vifited it before me ; but, 

 let us fuppofe, that he had never difcovered the Friendly 

 Iflands, our finding iron amongfl them would have occa- 

 fioned much fpeculation ; though we have mentioned be- 

 fore *, the method by which they had gained a renewal of ' 

 their knowledge of this metal, which confirms my hypo- 

 thefis. For Neeootaboo taboo, or Bofcawen's Ifland, where 

 Captain Wallis's fliips left it, and from whence Poulaho re- 

 ceived it, lies fome degrees to the North Wefl: of Tonga- 

 taboo. It is well known, that Roggewein lofl one of his 

 fliips on the Pernicious Iflands ; which, from their fituation, 

 are, probably, not unknov/n to, thpugh not frequently vi- 

 fited by, the inhabitants of Otaheite and the Society Iflands. 

 It is equally certain, that thefe laft people had a knowledge 

 of iron, and purchafed it with the greatefl avidity, when 

 Captain Wallis difcovered Otaheite-, and this knowledge 

 could only have been acquired, through the mediation of 

 thofe neighbouring iflands where it had been originally 

 left. Indeed they acknowledge, that this was adually the 

 cafe ; and they have told us fince, that they lield it in fuch 



* See Vol. i. p. 370. 



Vol. II. I i eftimation, 



