‘ 793- formed by a round hill clofe to the water fide, much refembline Vol- March. t . J °
'---- -— ' cano hill, but not quite fo large. This bay Mr. Whidbey elteemed
the moll eligible anchoring place he had feen in Mowee; the foundings,
in the line of the two points, from xo to 14 fathoms, foft, fandy bottom,
regularly decreafed to 5 fathoms clofe to the beach; which is prote&ed
from the ocean, and the prevailing winds, by its north point locking in
with the eaftern part of the ifland o f Morotoi, It is free from rocks,
Ihoals, or other obftacles ; and affords pleafent landing and good anchor-
age, where vefiels may lie nearly land-locked in every direftion, excepting
that between Rannai and Morotoi, in the weftern quarter. This fpace,
however, embraces but a fmall extent, from whence little danger can be
apprehended.
The day being too far fpent prevented Mr.’Whidbey from landing ;
but we were informed by Tomohomoko, that the fhores of that bay afforded
abundance of very excellent water. This advantage gives the bay a
great preference to any other flation in Mowee, efpecially as its ingrefs
and egrefs may be effefted with much eafe by approaching it from the
northward; as the regular trade wind may be depended' upon, which
without interruption or fudden .gulls, blows paft the bay, and enables
vefiels to chufe in it what flation they pleafe.I
By thefe means a very accurate knowledge of the fhores on this fide of
Mowee was acquired. Thefe appeared to be more likely to afford anchorage
and fhelter, thanthofeof the other iflands; but,as I. have already
had occafion to obferve, under the prefent impoverifhed flate of this
and the neighbouring iflands, Mowee is certainly not the molt de-
firable rendezvous for vefiels employed in the commercial purfuits of
this hemifphere. It is likewife neceflary -to add, that notwithftanding
the advantages of Patoa and Mackerrey, there is great -reafon to fufpeft
that the bottom atthofe places, as well as on all this fide o f Mowee, is
ho where good holding ground. That o f the roadflead o f Raheina, I
am convinced, is nothing-more than a very flight covering of fand, over a
bed o f hard.coral; and the feme remark feems to extend ito the edge of
the bank, where, in 40 fathoms water, the bottom is much fofter, but the
declivity o f the bank is fuch, that with a ftrong wind from the fhore,
2 veflels
veflels would not be able to retain their anchorage. By Mr. Whidbey’s ^7?3-
examination of the fouth-wefl part o f Mowee, the foundings generally 1
indicated the feme deceitful bottom; this can only be difcovered by anchoring
upon it, as the lead only brings up the fand and fmall Hones,
which covêr a béd o f folid rock beneath, that the anchor cannot penetrate.
O f this we had proof on two different days in the fqualls o f
wind tha-t came acrofs the iflhmus, which drove the veflels in whatever
direftion the wind chanced to blow, though they were riding with a very
fufficient fcope o f cable. As we were- not moored, I at firft attributed
this circumflance to the anchor being foul, but on heaving it up, this
was not, found to be the c.afe; whilft the peak o f the anchor, with the
under part o f the flock, were found much chafed, by their having been
dragged along the hard ground.
Another inconvenience attending thefe two places, is the violent gufts,
or rather gales o f wind, that I believe conflantly blow when the trade
wind blows frefh at fe a ; and particularly, when it is moll from the northern
quarter. A t thefe times it is moft violent, and rufhes with fuch fury
over the iflhmus, as to prevent all communication with the fhore; and
if my conjefture refpefting the bottom be right, veflels would have great
difficulty to maintain their flations.
The king, Taw, and the reft o f the chiefs returned according to
their promife to the flxip on funday morning; and in the -forenoon, ac- Sunday 17.
•eompanied b y Titeeree, and Lome of our officers in two armed boats,
with a guard o f marines, I paid my compliments on fhore, where the
landing was but indifferent.
We were received by the natives with the greateft civility and friend-
fhip. At the firft view they appeared very numerous, being collefted on
a fmall fpace of ground; but when they were a little diftributed, their
number, including the children, did not exceed fix or feven hundred. The
king condufted us through the crowd, who made way for us, and behaved
in a very orderly manner. We foon arrived at his refidence. This confifted
of two fmall fhabby huts, fituated in a pleafent grove of fpreading trees,
where we were ferved with cocoa nuts, and other refrelhments. I requefted
-