THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 
5 
of about half a mile from the reef, we found from forty 
to thirty-five fathoms water, over a bottom of fine fand. 
Nearer in, the bottom was ftrewed with coral rocks. The 
canoes having advanced to about the diftance of a piflol- 
fhot from the fhip, there flopped. Omai was employed, as 
he ufually had been on fuch occafions, to ufe all his elo¬ 
quence to prevail upon the men in them to come nearer; 
but no intreaties could induce them to truft themfelves 
within our reach. They kept eagerly pointing to the fhore, 
with their paddles, and calling to us to go thither; and fe- 
veral of their countrymen, who flood upon the beach, held 
up fomething white, which we confidered alio as an invita¬ 
tion to land. We could very well have done this, as there 
was good anchorage without the reef, and a break or open¬ 
ing in it, from whence the canoes had come out, which haid 
no furf upon it, and where, if there was not w'ater for the 
fhips, there was more than fufficient for the boats. But I 
did not think proper to rifk lofing the advantage of a fair 
wind, for the fake of examining an ifland, that appeared to 
be of little confequence. We flood in no need of refrefh- 
ments, if I had been fure of meeting with them there; 
and having already been fo unexpectedly delayed in my 
progrefs to the Society Illands, I was defirous of avoiding 
every poffibility of farther retardment. For this reafon, 
after making feveral unfuccefsful attempts to induce thefe 
people to come along-fide, I made fail to the North, and 
left them; but not without getting from them, during 
their vicinity to our fhip, the name of their ifland,, which 
they called Toobouai. 
It is fituated in the latitude of 23 0 25', South; . and in 2io p 
37 7 , Eaft longitude. Its greatefl extent, in any direftion, 
exclufive of the reef, is not above five or fix miles. On the 
North 
* 777 * 
Auguft. 
