T H E P A C I F I C O C E A N, i8j- 



voyage. However, to gratify thefe people, Omai parted 1777- 

 with a favourite dog he had brought from England -, and 

 with this acquifition they departed highly fatisficd. 



About ten o'clock, I difpatched Mr. Gore with three 

 boats, two from the Refolution, and one from the Difco- 

 very, to try the experiment he had propofed. And, as I 

 could confide in his diligence and ability, I left it entirely 

 to himfelf, to a6l as, from circumftances, he fliould judge to 

 be mofl proper. Two of the' natives, who had been on 

 board, accompanied him, and Omai went with him in his 

 boat as an interpreter. The fhips being a full league from 

 the ifland when the boats put off, and having but little 

 wind, it was noon before we could work up to it. We then 

 faw our three boats riding at their grapplings, juft without 

 the furf, and a prodigious number of the natives on the 

 fliore, abreaft of them. By this we concluded, that Mr. 

 Gore, and others of our people, had landed, and our impa- 

 tience to know the event may be eafily conceived. In order 

 to obferve their motions, and to be ready to give them fuch 

 affiftance as they might want, and our refpe^live fituations 

 would admit of, I kept as near the fhore as was prudent. I 

 was fenlible, however, that the reef was as effe<5lual a barrier 

 between us and our friends who had landed, and put them 

 as much beyond the reach of our prote6lion, as if half the 

 circumference of the globe had intervened. But the 

 iflanders, it was probable, did not know this fo well as we 

 did. Some of them, now and then, came off to the iliips in 

 their canoes, with a few cocoa nuts ; which they exchanged 

 for whatever was offered to them, without feeming to give 

 the preference to any particular article. 



Thefe occafional vifits ferved to lefTen my folicitude about 



our people who had landed. Though we could get no in- 



VoL. I. B b formation 



