1769. CHA P. XVII. A particular Defcription of the Island; its Produce and W domeftic Life and Amusements. E found the longitude of Port-Royal bay, in this island, as settled by Captain Wallis, who discovered it on the 9th of June 1767, to be within half a degree of the truth. We found Point Venus, the northern extremity of the island, and the eastern point of the bay, to lie in the longitude of 149° 13′ this being the mean refult of a great number of observations made upon the spot. The island is furrounded by a reef of coral rock, which forms several excellent bays and harbours, fome of which have been particularly described, where there is room and depth of water for any number of the largest ships. Port-Royal bay, called by the natives Matavai, which is not inferior to any in Otaheite, may easily be known by a very high mountain in the middle of the island, which bears due fouth from Point Venus. To fail into it, either keep the west point of the reef that lies before Point Venus, clofe on board, or give it a birth of near half a mile, in order to avoid a small shoal of coral rocks, on which there is but two fathom and an half of water. The best anchoring is on the eastern fide of the bay, where there is fixteen and fourteen fathom upon an oufey bottom. The fshore of the bay is a fine fandy beach, behind which runs a river of fresh water, fo that any number of ships may water here without incommoding each other; but the only wood for firing, upon the whole island, is that of 9 fruit |