96 cook's second voyage SEPT. 



could see the coast extend to the S. E. of Cape 

 Colnett, and round by the S. W. to N. W. by W. 

 Some gaps or openings were yet to be seen to the 

 west ; and a reef; or breakers, seemed to lie all along 

 the coast, connected with those we discovered the 

 preceding night. It was a matter of indifference to 

 me whether we plied up the coast to the S. E. or 

 bore down to N. W. I chose the latter; and after 

 running two leagues down the outside of the reef 

 (for such it proved), we came before an opening 

 that had the appearance of a good channel, through 

 which we might go in for the land. I wanted to get 

 at it, not only to visit it, but also to have an oppor- 

 tunity to observe an eclipse of the sun which was 

 soon to happen. With this view we brought to, 

 hoisted out two armed boats, and sent them to sound 

 the channel, ten or twelve large sailing canoes being 

 then near us. We had observed them coming off 

 from the shore, all the morning, from different parts ; 

 and some were lying on the reef, fishing as we sup- 

 posed. As soon as they all got together, they came 

 down to us in a body, and were pretty near when we 

 were hoisting out our boats, which probably gave 

 them some alarm ; for, without stopping, they hauled 

 in for the reef, and our boats followed them. We 

 now saw that what we had taken for openings in the 

 coast was low land, and that it was all connected, 

 except the western extremity, which was an island, 

 known by the name of Balabea, as we afterwards 

 learnt. 



The boats having made a signal for a channel, and 

 one of them being placed on the point of the reef; on 

 the weather side of it, we stood in with the ship, and 

 took up the other boat in our way, when the officer 

 informed me, that where we were to pass, was sixteen 

 and fourteen fathoms water, a fine sandy bottom, and 

 that, having put along-side two canoes, he found the 

 people very obliging and civil. They gave him some 

 fish ; and, in return, he presented them with medals, 



19 



