318 CAPTAIN COOK'S VOYAGES 



yet discovered, being few in proportion to the others, though 

 probably there are many more of them still unknown, which 

 serve as steps between the several clusters. Of what 

 number this newly-discovered archipelago consists must 

 be left for future investigation. We saw five of them, 

 whose names, as given to us by the natives, are Wohaoo, 

 Atooi, Oneeheow, Oreehoua, and Tahoora. 



" The temperature of the climate may be easily guessed 

 from the situation. Were we to judge of it from our 

 experience, it might be said to be very variable, notwith- 

 standing it was now the season of the year when the weather 

 is supposed to be most settled, the survbeing at his greatest 

 annual distance. The heat was at this time very moderate, 

 and few of those inconveniences which many of those 

 tropical countries are subject to, either from heat or 

 moisture, seem to be experienced here. 



" Besides the vegetable articles bought by us as refresh- 

 ments, amongst which were at least five or six varieties of 

 plantains, the island produces bread-fruit, though it seems 

 to be scarce, as we saw only one tree, which was large 

 and had some fruit upon it. 



" The scarlet birds which were brought for sale were 

 never met with alive ; but we saw a single small one, about 

 the size of a canary-bird, of a deep crimson colour, a large 

 owl, two large brown hawks or kites, and a wild duck ; and 

 it is probable there are a great many sorts, judging by the 

 quantity of fine yellow, green, and very small velvet-like 

 black feathers, used upon the cloaks, and other ornaments 

 worn by the inhabitants. 



" Fish and other marine productions were, to appearance, 

 not various. 



" The hogs, dogs, and fowls, which were the only tame 

 or domestic animals that we found here, were all of the 

 same kind that we met with at the South Pacific Islands. 



" The inhabitants are of a middling stature, firmly made. 

 Their visage, especially amongst the women, is sometimes 

 round ; but we cannot say that they are distinguished as a 

 nation by any general cast of countenance. Their colour 

 is nearly of a nut-brown. The women are little more 

 delicate than the men in their formation ; and I may say 

 that, with a very few exceptions, they have little claim 

 to those peculiarities that distinguish the sex in other 

 countries. There is, indeed, a more remarkable equality 

 in the size, colour, and figure of both sexes, than in most 

 places I have visited. 



" They are very expert swimmers. It was very common 

 to see women with infants at the breast, when the surf was 

 so high that they could not land in the canoes, leap over- 



