THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 
117 
refpeCt, they referable the Society and Friendly Iflands, 
which are, in a great meafure, free from thefe dreadful vi- 
litations. 
During the four winter months that we remained amongffc 
thefe iflands, there was more rain, efpecially in the interior 
parts, than ufually falls during the dry feafon in the illands 
of the Weft Indies. We generally faw clouds collecting 
round the tops of the hills, and producing rain to leew'ard; 
but after they are feparated from the land by the wind, they 
dilperfe, and are loft, and others fucceed in their place. 
This happened daily at Owhyhee : the mountainous parts 
being generally enveloped in a cloud; fucceftive fhowers 
falling in the inland country; with fine weather, and a clear 
iky at the fea-fhore. 
The winds in general were, from Eaft South Eaft to North 
Eaft; though they fometimes varied a few points each way 
to the North and South ; but thefe were light, and of fhort 
duration. In the harbour of Karakakooa, we had a conftant. 
land and fea-breeze every day and night. 
The currents feemed very uncertain; fometimes fetting 
to windward ; and, at other times, to leeward, without any 
regularity. They did not appear to be governed by the 
winds, nor any other caufe that I can affign: they fre¬ 
quently fet to windward againft a frefh breeze. 
The tides are very regular, flowing and ebbing fix hours 
each. The flood comes from the Eaftward; and it is high 
water, at the full and change of the moon, forty-five mi¬ 
nutes paft three, apparent time. Their greateft rife is two 
feet feven inches ; and we always obferved the water to be 
four inches higher when the moon was above the horizon, 
than when it was below. 
lire quadrupeds in thefe, as in all the other illands that 
have 
^ 779 - 
March. 
