16 cook's SECOND VOYAGE JUNE* 



tafba, with a gentle breeze at W. S. W. Day no sooner 

 dawned than we saw canoes coming from all parts. 

 Their traffic was much the same as it had been the 

 day before, or rather better ; for out of one canoe I 

 got two pigs, which were scarce articles here. At 

 four in the afternoon, we drew near the island of 

 Amattafoa, and passed between it and Oghao, the 

 channel being two miles broad, safe and without 

 soundings. While we were in the passage, we had 

 little wind and calms. This gave time for a large 

 sailing double canoe, which had been following us all 

 the day, as well as some others with paddles, to come 

 up with us. 



I had now an opportunity to verify a thing I was 

 before in doubt about ; which was, whether or no 

 some of these canoes did not, in changing tacks, only 

 shift the sail, and so proceed with that end foremost 

 which before was the stern ; the one we now saw 

 wrought in this manner; the sail is latteen, extended 

 to a latteen yard above, and to a boom at the foot ; 

 in one word, it is like a whole mizzen, supposing the 

 whole foot to be extended to a boom. The yard is 

 slung nearly in the middle, or upon an equipoise. 

 When they change tacks, they throw the vessel up in 

 the wind, ease off the sheet, and bring the heel or 

 tack-end of the yard to the other end of the boat, and 

 the sheet in like manner : there are notches, or sockets, 

 at each end of the vessel in which the end of the 

 yard fixes. In short, they work just as those do at the 

 Ladrone Islands, according to Mr. Walter's descrip- 

 tion.* When they want to sail large, or before the 

 wind, the yard is taken out of the socket and squared. 

 It must be observed, that all their sailing vessels are 

 not rigged to sail in the same manner ; some, and 

 those of the largest size, are rigged so as to tack 

 about. These have a short but pretty stout mast, 

 which steps on a kind of roller that is fixed to the 



* See Lord Anson's Voyage. 



