1769 congeries of the roots of which was forty-two paces in circumference. July Friday 21. Saturday22. On the 21ft, having dispatched the Master in the long-boat to examine the coaft of the fouth part of the ifland, and one of the Mates in the yawl, to found the harbour where the fhip lay, I went myself in the pinnace, to survey that part of the island which lies to the north. Mr. Banks and the Gentlemen were again on fhore, trading with the natives, and examining the products and curiofities of the country; they faw nothing, however, worthy notice, but fome more jawbones, of which they made no doubt but that the account they had heard was true. On the 22d and 23d, having ftrong gales and Sunday 23. hazy weather, I did not think it safe to put to fea; Monday 24 but on the 24th, though the wind was ftill va riable, I got under fail, and plied to the northward within the reef, with a view to go out at a wider opening than that by which I had entered; in doing this, however, I was unexpectedly in the most imminent danger of ftriking on the rock the Master, whom I had ordered to keep continually founding in the chains, fuddenly called out," two fathom." This alarmed me, for though I knew the fhip drew at least fourteen feet, and that therefore it was impoffible fuch a fhoal should be under her keel; yet the Mafter was either mistaken, or she went along the the edge of a coral rock, many of which, in the 1769.. neighbourhood of these islands, are as fteep as a wall. July. Monday 24.. This harbour, or bay, is called by the natives OOPOA, and taken in its greatest extent, it is capable of holding any number of fhipping. It extends almoft the whole length of the east fide of the island, and is defended from the fea by a reef of coral rocks: the fouthermoft opening in this reef, or channel into the harbour, by which we entered, is little more than a cable's length wide; it lies off the eastermoft point of the island, and may be known by another small woody ifland, which lies a little to the fouth east of it, called by the people here OATARA. Between Oatara. three and four miles north weft from this ifland die two other iflets, in the fame direction as the reef, of which they are a part, called OPURURU Opururu. and TAMOU; between these lies the other channel into the harbour, through which I went out, and which is a full quarter of a mile wide. Still farther to the north weit are fome other small inlands, near which I am told there is another fmall channel into the harbour; but this I know only by report. The principal refreshments that are to be pro3 cured at this part of the island are, plantains, cocoa-nuts, yams, hogs, and fowls; the hogs and fowls, however, are scarce; and the counuy, where we saw it, is neither so populous, nor 1769. Jaly. Monday 24 fó rich in produce as Otaheite, or even Huaheine. Wood and water may also be procured here; but the water cannot conveniently be got at. We were now again at fea, without having received any interruption from the hostile inhabitants of Bolabola, whom, notwithstanding the fears of Tupia, we intended to vifit. At four Tuesday 25. o'clock in the afternoon of the 25th, we were within a league of Otaha, which bore N. 77 W. To the northward of the south end of that island, on the east side of it, and fomething more than a mile from the shore, lie two fmall islands, called TOAHOUTU and WHENNUAIA; between which Tupia fays, there is a channel into a very good harbour, which lies within the reef, and appearances confirmed his report. Toahoutu. As I discovered a broad channel between Otaha and Bolabola, I determined rather to go through it, than run to the northward of all; but the wind being right a-head, I got not ground. Between five and fix in the evening of the Wednef. 26. 26th, as I was standing to the northward, I difcovered a small low ifland, lying N. by W. or N. N. W. diftant four or five leagues from Bolabola. We were told by Tupia that the name of this inland is TUBAI; that it produces nothing but cocoa-nuts, and is inhabited only by three families; though it is vifited by the inhabitants Tubal |