108 cook's voyage to march, 



Oreehoua and Tahoora are two small islands in 

 the neighbourhood of Oneeheow. The former is a 

 single high hummock, joined by a reef of coral rocks, 

 to the northern extremity of Oneeheow. The lat- 

 ter lies to the south-east, and is uninhabited. 



The climate of the Sandwich Islands differs very 

 little from that of the West India Islands, which lie 

 in the same lattitude. Upon the whole, perhaps, it 

 may be rather more temperate. The thermometer 

 on shore in Karakakooa Bay never rose higher than 

 8S° t and that but one day; its mean height, at noon, 

 was 83°. In Wymoa Bay, its mean height at noon 

 was 76°, and when out at sea, 7«5°. The mean height 

 of the thermometer at noon, in Jamaica, is about 86°, 

 at sea 80°. 



Whether they be subject to the same violent winds 

 and hurricanes, we could not discover, as we were 

 not there in any of the stormy months. However, 

 as the natives gave us no positive testimony of the 

 fact, and no traces of their effects were any where 

 visible, it is probable that, in this respect, they resem- 

 ble the Society and Friendly Islands, which are in 

 a great measure free from these dreadful visitations. 



During the four winter months that we remained 

 amongst these islands, there was more rain, especially 

 in the interior parts, than usually fall during the dry 

 season, in the islands of the West Indies. We gene- 

 rally saw clouds collecting round the tops of the 

 hills, and producing rain to leeward; but after they 

 are separated from the land by the wind, they disperse, 

 and are lost, and others succeed in their place. This 

 happened daily at Owhyhee: the mountainous parts 

 being generally enveloped in a cloud; successive 

 showers falling in the inland country ; with fine wea- 

 ther, and a clear sky at the sea shore. 



The winds in general were, from east south-east 

 to north-east; though this sometimes varied a few 

 points each way to the north and south ; but these 



17 



