a7 7i4- galley. As Mr. Byron found a boat’s rudder, on Teoukea,
which is at a fhort diftance from thefe ifles, that circum-
ftance ferves to confirm my fuppofition
We now fleered to the S. W. being clear of the low-
dilands, and continued Handing on, the following night, towards
the illand of Taheitee. The general fatisfac-
tion which this courfe gave to all on board can fcarcely
be defcribed. Affured of the good difpofition of the inhabitants,
we could look upon this ifland as our fecond home.
Our lick had fome hopes of recovery, by having an opportunity
of walking or retting in its cool fliades, and by ufing
the light falubrious.diet of the iflanders. The reft expedted
to acquire new ftrength and vigour, to enable them to encounter
thofe perils and hardfhips which were yet in referve
for them. The captain was fure of meeting with that
abundance of refxefhments, which would enable him to
bring the voyage to a happy conclufion ; the aftronomer
longed to fix an obfervatory on fhore, in order to determine
the rate of going of the time-keeper, which had not been
fettled fince our departure from New Zeeland ; and we were
not lefs defirous of returning to this ifland, in order to complete,
in fome meafure, a botanical collection, which our
fhort ftay in the winter feafon had left but too impel
fedt,
* See Hawfcefworth, vol. I, p. io z .
Our
Our friend Mahine was perhaps more anxious than us all
to fee Taheitee, which he had never vifited, though many
of his relations and friends refided there. As the natives of
the Society Iflands allow it the firft rank in afiluence and
power; and as we had frequently confirmed this teftimony
to him, his curiofity was fo much the greater. But he had
other motives which prompted him to wifh himfelf there.
He had collected a confiderable number of curiofities,
which he was well convinced would give him weight
among his countrymen ; and he had acquired fuch a variety
of new ideas, and feen fo many diftant and unknown
countries, that he was perfuaded he Would attract and demand
their attention. The profpedt of being courted by
every body, and the idea of diftitiguifhing himfelf by his
intimacy with us, by his acquaintance with our manners,
and above all, by making ufe of our fire arms for his diver-
fion, gave him infinite pleafure. It is not to be doubted,
that it was inhanced by the hope of being ferviceable to all
his fliipmates, whom he loved with the lincefcft aflfedtion,
and by whom he Was generally efteerned in return.
We difcovered land about ten o clock the next morning,
which in a few hours afterwards we knew to be part of
Taheitee. We flood towards it all the day, but could not
reach it before it became dark, and were therefore obliged
to ftay out another night. Every perfon on board gazed
continually at this queen*of tropical iflands; and though I
V o l . 11.' I H
*774*
Aprjl*
Thurfday
was