35$ A VOYAGE TO 
1777. with water, in many little holes; and, no doubt, great 
plenty might be found, by digging. 
From the elevation, to which we had afcended, we had 
a full view of the whole ifland, except a part of the South 
point. The South Eaft fide, from which the higheft hills, 
we were now upon, are not far diftant, rifes with very great 
inequalities, immediately from the fea; fo that the plains 
and meadows, of which there are here fome of great extent, 
lie all on the North Wed: fide; and, as they are adorned 
with tufts of trees, intermixed with plantations, they form 
a very beautiful landfcape, in every point of view. While 
I was furveying this delightful profpedt, I could not help 
flattering myfelf with the pleaflng idea, that fome future 
navigator may, from the fame ftation, behold thefe mea¬ 
dows flocked with cattle, brought to thefe iflands by the 
fhips of England; and that the completion of this Angle 
benevolent purpole, independently of all other confldera- 
tions, would flifficiently mark to pofterity, that our voyages 
had not been ufelefs to the general interefts of humanity. 
Befldes the plants common on the other neighbouring 
iflands, we found, on the height, a fpecies of acroflicum , 
melajloma , and fern tree; with a few other ferns and 
plants, not common lower down. 
Our guides informed us, that all, or moft of the land, on 
this ill and, belonged to the great Chiefs of Tongataboo; 
and that the inhabitants were only tenants, or vaffals, to 
them. Indeed, this feemed to be the cafe at all the other 
neighbouring ifles, except Annamooka, where there were 
fome Chiefs, who feemed to adt with fome kind of inde¬ 
pendence. Omai, who was a great favourite with Feenou, 
and thefe people in general, was tempted with the offer of 
being 
