THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 
which any intefcourfe was had with the natives of this 
ocean, was that of Quiros, who landed at Sagittaria, the 
Ill and of Handfome People, and at Tierra del Efpiritu 
Santo; at all which places, and at thole with whom they 
had any communication, it mull, of confequence, have 
beeg made known. To him fucceeded, in this navigation, 
Le Maire and Schouten, whofe connections with the na¬ 
tives commenced much farther to the Eaftward, and ended 
at Cocos and Horn Illands. It was not furprizing, that, 
when I vilited Tongataboo in 1773, I fhould find a bit of 
iron there, as we knew that Tafman had vilited it before 
me ; but, let us fuppofe, that he had never dilcovered the 
Friendly Illands, our finding iron amongft them would 
have occalioned much fpeculation ; though we have men¬ 
tioned before *, the method by which they had gained a 
renewal of their knowledge of this metal, which confirms 
my hypothefis. For Neeootaboo taboo, or Bofcawen’s 
Ifland, where Captain Wallis’s fhips left it, and from 
whence Poulaho received it, lies fome degrees to the North 
Weft of Tongataboo. It is well known, that Roggewein 
loft one of his. fhips on the Pernicious Illands ; which, 
from their fituation, are, probably, not unknown to, 
though not frequently vilited by, the inhabitants of Ota- 
heite and the Society Illands. It is equally certain, that 
thefe lail people had a knowledge of iron, and purchafed 
it with the greateft avidity, when Captain Wallis difcover- 
ed Otaheite ; and this knowledge could only have been ac¬ 
quired, through the mediation of thofe neighbouring illands 
where it had been originally left. Indeed they acknow¬ 
ledge, that this was actually the cafe; and they have told 
us lince, that they held it in fuch eftimation, before Cap- 
* See Vol. i. p. 370. 
Vol. II. I i tain 
241 
1778. 
February. 
l .ll — mt 
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