*774»
June. After dinner the breeze frefhened, and we failed towards
Namoka, which was the largeft ifland of this ,group. The
number of canoes encreafed about us ; they came.from all
the neighbouring iflands with fruit, fifh, and pigs, all which
they difpofed of for nails and rags.
We had foundings all the day between thefe iflantjs, at
firft in forty and fifty, and afterwards, when we came nearer,
in nine, twelve, fourteen, and twenty fathom. About four
o’clock, having hauled round the Youth end of Namoka, we
came to, on the lee or weft fide of it, where Tafman formerly
lay. Our diftance from the fhore was about a mile.
The coaft of the ifland rofe fifteen or twenty feet nearly perpendicular,
after which it appeared almoft level, having only
a Angle hillock near the middle. This fteep fhore hadfome
refemblance to the coaft of Savage Ifland, which we had
lately left, but the richnefs of its woods was infinitely
greater. Innumerable coco-nut palms out-topped the woods,
and ornamented the ifland on all fides.
Whilft we were coming to an anchor, one of the natives
caught the lead, and tore the line which one of our people
was heaving. Hie was defired to return it, but took no notice
of the captain who fpoke to him. A mufket with ball
was fired through his canoe ; upon, which he calmly removed
to the other fide of the fhip. Our. demand was repeated,
and proving- ineffedlual again, was enforced by a
load of fmall-fhot, which made him fin art. He inftantly
paddled.
paddled to the head of the fhip, where a rope hung over-
board, to which he tied the line and lead. His countrymen
were not fatisfied with this reftitution ; they turned him
out of his canoe, and made him fwim on fhore, whilft they
continued to trade with us. They fold us coco-nuts, excellent
yams, bread fruit, bananas, fhaddocks, and other
fruit. They alfo brought purple water-hens alive, and a
fine wcll-tafled fparus ready drefied in leaves ; alfo a curious
ftringy root baked, which contained a very nourifhing pulp,
of fuch a fweetnefs, as if it had been boiled in fugar. All
thefe things were eagerly bought for nails, which were
efteemed according to their fize, and for pieces of our cloth.
Their canoes, their perfons, drefs, cuftoms and language fo
entirely refembled thofe of Tonga-Tabboo, that we could
perceive no difference. As this ifland is at a fhort diftance
from Namoka, it is not improbable that the inhabitants of
the latter might have heard of our arrival there in Odtober,
I 7 7 3-
The next morning captain Cook landed early in a fandy Monday -_7.
cove, which is accurately defcribed by Tafman. It is en-
clofed by a reef, and has a narrow entrance for boats at the
fouth end. It is fo fhallow, that our boats could only come
in at high water. The captain purchafed a pig, and was
conduced to a pond of frelh water at a fhort diftance from
the beach, the fame where Tafman had fupplied his fhips
with water. The hofpitality of the natives was exercifed
Z a; - in