174 



A VOYAGE TO 



March 



1777- endeavour to find a landinsr-place. With this view, I went 

 in one of them myfelf, taking with me fuch articles to 

 give the natives, as I thought might ferve to gain their 

 good-will. I had no fooner put off from the fhip, than the 

 canoe, with the two men, which had left us not long be- 

 fore, paddled towards my boat ; and, having come along- 

 side, Mourooa ftept into her, without being afkcd, and 

 without a moment's hefitation. 



Omai, who was with me, v/as ordered to inquire of him, 

 where we could land ; and he dirc6ted us to two diflerent 

 places. Rut I faw, with regret, that the attempt could not 

 be made at either place, unlefs at the rifk of having our 

 boats filled with water, or even ftaved to pieces. Nor were 

 we more fortunate in our fearch for anchorage ; for we 

 could find no bottom, till within a cable's length of the 

 breakers. There we met with from forty to twenty fathoms 

 depth, over fharp coral rocks ; fo that anchoring would 

 have been attended with much more danger than landing. 



While we were thus employed in reconnoitring the 

 fliore, great nurnbers of the natives thronged down upon 

 the reef, all armed as above mentioned. Mourooa, who 

 was now in my boar, probably thinking that this warlike 

 appearance hindered us from landing, ordered them to 

 retire back. As many of them complied, I judged he mud 

 be a perfon of fome confequence among them. Indeed, if 

 we underdood him right, he was the king's brother. So 

 great was the curiofity of feveral of them, that they took 

 to the water, and, fwiniming off to the boats, came on 

 board them without referve. Nay, we found it difficult 

 to keep them out ; and ilill more difficult to prevent 

 their carrying off every thing they could lay their hands 



upon. 



