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The voyagers weighed anchor on the 2d January, 1778, and resumed their course towards the north, favoured by serene skies and gentle breezes. On reaching the latitude of 100 30' N., various birds and turtles were seen every day, and regarded as indications of the vicinity of land. None, however, was discovered till the morning of the 18th, when an island appeared, bearing northeast by east; soon after another was seen bearing north; and on the 19th a third in a west northwest direction. Doubts were entertained whether the second, which lay most convenient for approach, had any inhabitants, till some canoes came off, having in each from three to six men, who, to the agreeable surprise of our navigators, spoke the language of Otaheite. Though easily prevailed on to come alongside, they could not be persuaded to venture on

board. The name of their island was ascertained to be Atooi or Tauai; they were of a brown complexion, and a considerable diversity was observable in their features, some of which were not very different from those of Europeans. The greater number had their hair, which was naturally black, but died of a brown colour, cropped short; others permitted it to flow unconfined in loose tresses; and a few wore it tied in a bunch on the crown of the head. In general they had beards; no ornaments were observed on their persons, nor were their ears bored; some showed punctures on their hands or near the groin; and the pieces of cloth worn by them were curiously stained of various hues. On certain rare occasions they wore a kind of mask, made of a large gourd, with a perforation for the eyes and nose; the top was adorned with small green twigs, and from the lower part hung strips of cloth.

No anchorage being found here, the vessels bore away to leeward, when the canoes departed; but as the discoverers sailed along the coast others succeeded, bringing roasting-pigs and some fine potatoes, which the owners readily exchanged for whatever was offered to them. Several villages were seen, some on the margin of the sea, others in the interior of the country; and the inhabitants were perceived thronging to the shore for the purpose of viewing the ships, which passed the night standing off and on. In the morning, as they were moving towards the land, several canoes approached, and some of the natives had the courage to come on board. Never before, in the course of his voyages, had our navigator beheld such astonishment as these savages displayed. Their eyes wandered from one object to another in restless amazement; they endeavoured to seize every thing they came near; and the wildness of their looks and actions proved them to be totally unused to European visiters, and ignorant of all their commodities-iron alone excepted; and of this it was evident that they had merely heard, or obtained a small quantity at a distant period. When asked what it was, they replied, "We do not know; we only understand it as toe or hamaite" -the former signifying a hatchet, and the latter, probably referring to some native instrument, in the construction of which iron might be advantageously substituted for stone or bone. When beads were shown to them, they inquired, "whether they should eat them." When their use was explained, they were given back as of no value, and a looking-glass was reD D

garded with equal indifference. Plates of earthenware and china cups were so new to their eyes, that they asked if they were made of wood.

About three o'clock the vessels succeeded in anchoring, and Cook rowed to the land with three armed boats and a party of marines. "The very instant," he says, "I leaped on shore, the collected body of the natives all fell flat upon their faces, and remained in that very humble posture till by expressive signs I prevailed upon them to rise. They then brought a great many small pigs, which they presented to me, with plantain-trees, using much the same ceremonies that we had seen practised on such occasions at the Society and other islands; and a long prayer being spoken by a single person, in which others of the assembly sometimes joined. I expressed my acceptance of their proffered friendship, by giving them in return such presents as I had brought with me from the ship for that purpose.' ""* The same deferential, obeisance was afterward paid to him during an excursion which he made through the country; and he believed it to be the mode in which the natives manifested respect to their own chiefs. The people assisted his men in rolling casks to and from the watering-place, readily performed whatever was required of them, and merited the commendations of their visiters by fair dealing; there having been no attempt to cheat or to steal after the first interview.

On the morning of the 23d a breeze sprung up at northeast, when, to avoid being driven on shore, it became necessary to stand out to procure sea-room; and the adverse winds and currents having drifted the vessels far from the harbour, after several unsuccessful attempts to regain it, they anchored off the neighbouring Island of Oneeheow or Ni-Hau. Here the captain deposited some goats, pigs of the English breed, and various useful seeds, which he had intended for Atooi. The provisions obtained at these islands were reckoned sufficient for nearly four weeks' consumption; and, having thus recruited his stores, on the 2d of February he made sail with a gentle breeze to the northward. "Of what number," he says, "this newly-discovered archipelago consists, must be left for future investigation." Besides those visited, three others were seen, Woahoo or Oahu, Oreehoua, Tahoora or

* Voyage to the Pacific, vol. ii., p. 198.

Taura. This group, lying between the latitude of 21° 30', and 22° 15′ N., and 199° 20', and 201° 30' east longitude, received, in honour of the first lord of the Admiralty, the name of the SANDWICH ISLANDS.

On the 7th the wind, having veered to southeast, enabled the voyagers to steer northeast and east till the 12th, when another change induced them to stand to the northward. About a fortnight after, when proceeding more towards the east, they met with rockweed or sea-leek, and now and then a piece of wood floated past. During the whole of this course, scarcely a bird or living creature was seen; but on the 6th of March two large fowls settled near the ships. The next day two seals and several whales were observed; and the dawn of the 7th revealed the anxiously-expected coast of New Albion, in latitude 44° 33′ N., longitude 235° 20′ E. It was richly wooded, of moderate height, and diversified with hills and valleys. To its northern extremity Cook gave the name of Cape Foulweather, from the gales which he experienced in its vicinity, and which obliged him to tack off and on several days. At length, after various hazards, a large opening was observed on the 29th, in latitude 49° 15′ N., longitude 233° 20′ E., and from its promising appearance received the title of Hope Bay. Into this inlet he sailed four miles, when the night closing in, he came to anchor in deep water, within a hawser's length of the shore.

It was certain that the country was inhabited; a village was observed on the western side of the sound; and three canoes shaped like Norway yawls came off. When they drew near, a native rose and made a long oration, apparently inviting the strangers to land, and at the same time he continued strewing feathers towards them, while some of his companions scattered handfuls of red powder. The speaker, who was dressed in the skin of an animal, held in each hand a kind of rattle; and when he sat down, another began to declaim in his turn, in a language wholly unintelligible to their visiters. They then quietly conversed among themselves, betraying neither distrust nor surprise; some of them occasionally stood up and made harangues; and one sang a very pleasant air, with a softness quite unexpected.

The next day the vessels were removed to a safer anchorage, amid a great concourse of the inhabitants. Their disposition was quiet and friendly, and they willingly supplied the

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voyagers with such provisions as they possessed, though their refusal to accept any thing but metal in exchange gave rise to some perplexity. They preferred brass to iron; and we are told that, to gratify their demands, "whole suits of clothes were stripped of every button, bureaux of their furniture, and copper kettles, tin canisters, candlesticks, and the like, all went to wreck." The name of the sound was Nootka; and the natives are described as being under the common size, with full round visages and small black eyes. In many individuals the ears were perforated in two or three places, for the purpose of suspending bits of bone, quills fixed on a thong of leather, shells, bunches of woollen tassels, or pieces of thin copper. Ornaments of iron, brass, or copper, shaped like a horse's shoe, were frequently introduced into the septum of the nose, from which they dangled over the upper lip. The sexes so nearly resembled each other in dress and stature,

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