AuSi. t*le there is a channel through the reef into a very
wednef"" ' harbour, but I did not think it worth while to examine
it, for the reafons that have been juft affigned. This ifland
is rendered very remarkable by a high craggy hill, which
appears to be almoft perpendicular, and terminates at the
top in two peaks, one higher than the other.
The land of Ulietea ahd Otaha is hilly, broken, and irregular,
except on the fea-Coaft, yet the hills look green and
pleafant, and are in many places clothed with Wood. The
feveral particulars in which thefe iflands and their inhabitants
differ from what we had obferved at Otaheite, have been
mentioned in the courfe of the narrative.
We purfued our courfe without any event worthy of note
Sunday >3. tin the 13th, about noon, when we faw land bearing S. E.
oheteroa. which Tupia told us was an ifland called O h e t e r o a . About
fix in the evening, we were within two or three leagues of
it, upon which I fhortened fail, and flood off and on all
Monday ,4. night j the next morning flood in for the land. We ran to
leeward of the ifland, keeping clofe in fhore, and faw feveral
of the natives, though in no great nunfbers, upon the
beach. At nine o’clock I feht Mr. Gore, one of my Lieutenants,
in the pinnace, to endeavour to land upon the ifland,
and learn from the natives Whether there was anchorage in
a bay then in fight, and what land lay farther to the fouth-
ward. Mr. Banks and Dr. Solander accompanied Mr. Gore in
this expedition, and as they thought Tupia might be ufeful
they took him with them.
As the boat approached the fhore, thofe on board perceived
the natives to be armed With long lances; as they did not
intend to land till they got round a point which run out at
a little diflance, they flood along the coaft, and the natives
therefore very probably thought they were afraid of them.
They
They had now got together to the number of about fixty, and
all of them fat down upon the fhore, except two, who were
difpatched forward to obferve the motions of thofe in the
boat. Thefe men, after walking a-breaft of her fome time,
at length leaped into the water, and fwam towards her, but
were foon left behind ■, two more then appeared, and attempted
to board her in the fame manner, but they alfo were
foon left behind; a fifth man then ran forward alone, and
having got a good way a-head of the boat before he took to
the water, eaffly reached her. Mr. Ranks urged the officer
to take him in, thinking it a good opportunity to get the
confidence and good-will of a people, who then certainly
looked upon them as enemies, but he obflinately refufed:
this man therefore was left behind like the others, and fo
was a fixth, who followed him.
ry6g.
Auguft.
Monday 14^
When the boat had got round the point, &e perceived that
all her followers, had defifted from the purfuit: fhe now
opened a large bay, at the bottom of which appeared another
body of men, armed with long lances like the firft. Here
our people prepared to land, and pufhed towards the fhore, a
canoe at the fame time putting off to meet them. As foon as-
it came near them, they lay upon their oars,- and calling out
to them, told them that they were friends, and- that if they
would come up they would give them nails, which were-
held up for them to fee: after fome hefitation they came up
to the boat’s ftern, and took fome nails that were offered:
them with great feeming fatisfadfion; but in lefs than a minute
they appeared to have formed a defign o f boarding the
boat, and making her their prize: three of them fuddenly
leaped into it, and the others brought up the canoe, which-
the motion in quitting her had thrown off a little, manifeftly
with a defign to follow their affociates,-and fupport them in
their