192 CAPTAIN COOK'S VOYAGES 



and that they had been in the most imminent danger, 

 having had breakers continually under their lee, and at a 

 very little distance from them. They owed their safety to 

 the interposition of Providence, a good look out, and the 

 very brisk manner in which the ship was managed. 



They were now almost tired of a coast which they could 

 no longer explore but at the risk of losing the ship, and 

 ruining the whole voyage. 



The ship was at this time conducted by an officer placed 

 at the mast-head ; soon after, with great difficulty, they 

 arrived within a mile of land, and were obliged to anchor in 

 thirty-nine fathoms water ; they then hoisted out a boat, 

 in which the Captain went ashore, accompanied by the 

 botanists. Here they found several tall trees, which had 

 been observed before at a considerable distance ; they 

 appeared to be a kind of spruce pine, very proper for spars, 

 of which they were in want ; after making this discovery, 

 they hastened on board in order to have more time after 

 dinner, when they landed again with two boats to cut down 

 such trees as were wanting. 



The little isle upon which they landed was a mere sand- 

 bank, not exceeding three-fourths of a mile in circuit, and on 

 it, besides these pines, grew the Etos tree of Otaheite, and 

 a variety of other trees, shrubs, and plants. These gave 

 sufficient employment to the botanists all the time they 

 staid upon it, and occasioned the Captain's calling it Botany 

 Isle. Several fire-places, branches and leaves very little 

 decayed, showed that people had lately been on the isle. 

 The hull of a canoe lay wrecked in the sand. 



Having got ten or twelve small spars to make studding- 

 sail booms, boats' masts, etc., and night approaching, they 

 returned with them on board. 



The purpose for which they Anchored under this isle 

 being answered, it was necessary to consider what was next 

 to be done. They had, from the top-mast head, taken a 

 view of the sea around, and observed the whole to the west 

 to be strewed with small islets, sand-banks, and breakers, 

 to the utmost extent of their horizon. This induced the 

 Captain to try to get without the shoals. 



Next morning at daybreak, the 30th of September, they 

 got under sail, and met with no occurrences worthy of 

 remark for some days. 



In the evening of the 8th of October, Mr. Cooper having 

 struck a porpoise with a harpoon, it was necessary to bring 

 to, and have two boats out before they could kill it and get 

 it on board. It was six feet long, a female of that kind 

 which naturalists call dolphins of the ancients, and which 

 differs from the other kind of porpoise in the head and jaw, 



