amazing dexterity, each trip lafting about two or three
minutes. We had not yet worked in, when the Adventure
came in after us, but unfortunately approached too
near one of the reefs, juft as file was putting about, and
leaned on the fide of the coral rock. We were for the
prefent intent only in faving our own fhip for fear of the
worft that might happen, and foon after came to an anchor.
As foon as that was done, our boats were difpatch-
ed to the affiftance of our confort, and fhe was towed into
the harbour. Her bottom being examined, it was found
that fhe had fuffered no damage, which was likewife the
cafe with the Refolution, when fhe ftruck on the coafl of
Tiarraboo.
The appearance of the country was exadHy the fame
here as at Taheitee, but upon a much fmaller fcale ; the
circumference of the whole ifle being only about feven or
eight leagues. The plains are therefore very inconfiderable,,
and there are hardly any intermediate hills between them
and the higher mountains, which take their rife immediately
from the fkirts of the plain. The country, however,
contained a variety- of pleafant little fpots. Not a Angle
canoe came off to us here beyond the reefs, but we had
not been long at anchor before a few of them arrived
loaded with coco-nuts, bread-fruit, and large fowls. We
were very glad to meet with thefe birds, having obtained
only a Angle pair at Taheitee, where they had been entirely
tirely fwept away by former navigators. Among!! the na- StP
tives who came on board, there was one who had a mon-
ftrous rupture or hernia, which did not feem to incumber
him much, as he came up the fides of the fhip with great
agility. The natives fpoke the fame language, had the
fame features, and wore the fame cloth, made of bark, as
thofe of Taheitee; but none of their women appeared.
They bartered very fairly for our beads and nails, and in a
little time had fold us a dozen of very large cocks, of a
beautiful plumage; but it may be remarked, that they
feldom brought the hens for fale. Towards eleven o’clock
the captains went on fhore to a large fhed, of which the
fides reached to the ground, and which gave- fhelter to a
double canoe. Here they appointed a perfon to trade with
the natives, which they did fo regularly that we collected
upwards of twenty hogs this day for large fpike nails or
fmall hatchets, and about a dozen of dogs, which feemed
to be the moft ftupid animals of their kind, but were
reckoned excellent provilion by the natives. During our,
firft walk we found two plants which we had not feen before
; and we took notice that all the bread-trees in that
part had already young fruit, of the fize of fmall apples,
which, as the natives faid, would not be ripe in lefs than
four months. The diftridt where we landed feemed to be
entirely deftitute of bananas ; the natives, however, brought
us fome bunches of this fruit from other parts, which
proves.