174 
A VOYAGE TO 
1777- one of them from the Difcovery, to found the coaft, and to 
— — » endeavour to find a landing-place. With this view, I went 
in one of them myfelf, taking with me fuch articles to give 
the natives, as I thought might ferve to gain their good¬ 
will. I had no fooner put off from the fliip, than the 
canoe, with the two men, which had left us not long be¬ 
fore, paddled toward my boat; and, having come along- 
fide, Mourooa ftept into her, without being afked, and 
without a moment’s liefitation. 
Omai, who was with me, was ordered to inquire of him, 
where we could land; and he diredted us to two different 
places. But I faw, with regret, that the attempt could not 
be made at either place, unlefs at the rifk of having our 
boats filled with water, or even ftaved to pieces. Nor were 
we more fortunate in our fearch for anchorage; for we 
could find no bottom, till within a cable’s length of the 
breakers. There we met with from forty to twenty fa¬ 
thoms depth, over fharp coral rocks ; fo that anchoring 
would have been attended with much more danger than 
landing. 
While we were thus employed in reconnoitring the 
fhore, great numbers of the natives thronged down upon 
the reef, all armed as above mentioned. Mourooa, who 
was now in my boat, probably thinking that this warlike 
appearance hindered us from landing, ordered them to 
retire back. As many of them complied, I judged he muff 
be a perfon of fome confequence among them. Indeed, if 
we underftood him right, he was the king’s brother. So 
great was the curiofity of feveral of them, that they took 
to the water, and, fwimming off to the boats, came on 
board them without referve. Nay, we found it difficult 
to keep them out; and ftill more difficult to prevent 
3 their 
