THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 
191 
break, in the morning of the 18th, when an ifland made its i 77 s. 
appearance, bearing North Eaft by Eaft; and, foon after, we J anuar r- 
faw more land bearing North, and entirely detached from Sunday 18. 
the former. Both had the appearance of being high land. 
At noon, the firft bore North Eaft by Eaft, half Eaft, by efti- 
mation about eight or nine leagues diftant; and an elevated 
hill, near the Eaft end of the other, bore North, half Weft. 
Our latitude, at this time, was 21 0 12', North; and longi¬ 
tude 200 0 4T, Eaft. We had now light airs and calms, by 
turns ; fo that, at funfet, we were not lefs than nine or ten 
leagues from the neareft land. 
On the 19th, at fun-rife, the ifland firft feen, bore Eaft, Monday i 9 . 
feveral leagues diftant. This being direcftly to windward, 
which prevented our getting near it, I flood for the other, 
which we could reach; and, not long after, difcovered a 
third ifland in the direction of Weft North Weft, as far dif¬ 
tant as land could be feen. We had now a fine breeze at 
Eaft by North ; and I fleered for the Eaft end of the fecond 
ifland; which, at noon, extended from North, half Eaft, to 
Weft North Weft, a quarter Weft, the neareft part being 
about two leagues diftant. At this time, we were in fome 
doubt whether or no the land before us was inhabited; 
but this doubt was foon cleared up, by feeing fome canoes 
coming off from the fhore, toward the fhips. I immedi¬ 
ately brought to, to give them time to join us. They had 
from three to fix men each; and, on their approach, we 
were agreeably furprized to find, that they fpoke the lan¬ 
guage of Otaheite, and of the other iflands we had lately 
vifited. It required but very little addrefs, to get them to 
come along-fide ; but no intreaties could prevail upon any 
of them to come on board. I tied fome brafs medals to a 
rope, and gave them to thofe in one of the canoes, who, in 
3 return, 
